Divided We Fall
by Hotwire
Summary: Book Two of Together We Stand-- continuing the Shinji/Hikari saga
1.

  
Chain Lightning Studios Presents  
Together We Stand: Book Two  
Divided We Fall   
By T. L. Webb  
  
  
I am just a new boy,  
Stranger in this town,  
Where we have all the good times,  
Who's gonna show this stranger around?   
Young Lust  
Pink Floyd, The Wall  
  
  
  
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Book Two: Part One   
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Hikari stepped outside the girl's locker room and tried to resist the urge to   
scream. She had just spent the last five minutes listening to Asuka complaining   
about an incident at work. While she did feel sorry for the girl's predicament,   
Hikari was _seriously_ developing a problem with Nerv's lack of discretion. It   
had started with them forcing Shinji to share an apartment with the German, and   
had only gotten more frustrating as time passed. Asuka vehemently denied   
_any_ romantic link to her fellow pilot--or any other boy in the city for that   
mater. But as much as Hikari believed this to be true, it was maddening that a   
girl as pretty as Asuka was sleeping less than ten feet from her boyfriend. It   
made her feel a little better to remember that Shinji had little interest in Asuka.   
Almost from the moment the two had met she'd done little more than belittle   
him.   
  
Hikari wasn't petty enough that it was something she could take comfort in. It   
was all made even more complicated by the fact that Asuka was still her friend,   
and she wasn't really a bad person... just maddeningly thoughtless sometimes.   
After a while of knowing her, Hikari had grown to respect the girl's   
determination and drive. Asuka had an undeniable passion for whatever she   
focused her attention on, and once she selected a target she refused to let go.   
That had been how she'd accomplished the startling task of graduating collage   
before her thirteenth birthday. It was also apparently what made her such an   
outstanding Eva Pilot.  
  
Another side of Asuka that Hikari had quickly picked up on, however, was   
that she was a very private person... despite her apparent outgoing nature. She   
straight up refused to discuss some things about herself. Hikari'd quickly picked   
up on subtle turns of phrases and taboo subjects when speaking with Asuka.   
From what she could piece together, something had happened to Asuka as a kid   
concerning her family, and she still hadn't gotten over it. Hikari didn't know   
what this event was, and felt it would be a bad idea to broach the topic without   
some advice from either Misato or Mr. Kaji ... and even then, she had _no_ idea   
how to ask about _that_ kind of thing.  
  
For now it seemed that she would just have to keep skirting those subjects   
with Asuka.  
  
Stepping back into the locker room Hikari was annoyed to find Asuka still on   
the same subject. She didn't really mind the girl's rants; in fact she often found   
them very amusing. In this case, however, she could live without hearing every   
possible detail.  
  
"So there I am, bare-butt-nekid, freezing my _ass_ off in that damn entry   
plug and _finally_ they get the radios back on, "Asuka told her other classmates-  
- she had only mentioned being naked a few hundred times at this point, "and   
what do I discover? Was it that we would be rescued in short order? Nope.   
Whatever the problem was knocked out a lot of the systems, and apparently   
whatever happened in there is so damn classified that they won't even tell _us_!   
I don't know what kind of damn fool organization they think they're running   
down there, but it sure as hell isn't efficient! We had to swim, _swim_! To shore,   
and that lump Shinji had to be dragged all the way by Wondergirl because the   
little twit _still_ hasn't gotten off his lazy ass and learned to swim."  
  
"Hey Hikari," Yume called from where she and the others were listening to   
Asuka's rant, "weren't you going to teach Ikari how to swim?"  
  
"We haven't had time," Hikari said truthfully, "between all his makeup work   
and the tests they do at Nerv, we barely have time to talk, much less hike all the   
way to a pool."  
  
"Humph, well you do have a point," Asuka conceded, "I mean even if he had   
just started earlier we still would've had to look at his scrawny butt when we   
walked the whole way back to HQ. You'd think they would have had spare   
plugsuits or _something_ in the entry plugs. I for one could have lived without   
him peeking at me and Rei for an hour and a half."  
  
Hikari was mostly dressed by now, and decided to take a cue from Rei.   
Without so much as a wave goodbye, she stepped out of the locker room and   
left.... It felt surprisingly satisfying.   
  
  
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Just after school that same day, she, Shinji, Touji, and Kensuke were sitting   
in the small restaurant that they'd been frequenting as of late. It was the same   
place She and Shinji had gone for breakfast shortly after the fourth Angel's   
attack. It was beginning to become their unofficial hangout. As she and Shinji   
listened and tried not to sneak too many smiles at each other, Touji was telling   
them about the latest tournament at the entertainment district's VR center.   
Kensuke wasn't paying much attention... seeing as how he was fast asleep.  
  
"So Kensuke's three points away from matching the high score when the   
other team's blocker appears out of nowhere in the main tunnel. We all think he's   
a goner cuz you know that those Tarantulas are like three times the size of the   
bug class. Anyway _somehow_ Ken manages to pop a double boost straight past   
him with, like, one point of armor left, and zips right into the score zone."  
  
"You guys won again huh?" Shinji asked, smiling.  
  
"Better believe it! Japan-- 30,425, FSA-- 29,804, Japan wins it's fifth straight   
game!"  
  
"Winner and still champion," Hikari said with a laugh as she noticed   
Kensuke was drooling against the window, "I see your victory party wore him   
out."  
  
"Huh?" Touji said as he looked to where his friend was sleeping, "no, we   
didn't even go. I think he was online all night, again."  
  
"That's what?" Shinji asked, "the third time this month?"  
  
"Fourth," Hikari corrected, "and that's just the falling asleep... its going to   
start affecting his grades if he's not careful."  
  
"I'll talk to him," Touji said, "Shinji's got that thing coming up."  
  
"I wish you'd quit reminding me..." Shinji said with a moan, "it's not   
something I'm looking forward to."  
  
"I don't understand...you don't _want_ to visit your mom's grave?"  
  
"That's not it at all, Touji," Shinji replied, "I do _want_ to go--at least for   
that. It's just the company I'll be keeping... isn't exactly thrilling me."  
  
Shinji let out a sigh and shook his head. It had been three years since he had   
last gone, and he still wasn't ready. That last time had been hard on him-- he had   
tried to talk to his father and it had blown up in his face.  
  
"You never really told us what happened, " Hikari said, reading his mind   
again. Shinji took a breath, let it out, and decided it was as good a time to as any   
to get it off his chest.  
  
"There isn't really that much to tell," Shinji said, "I was eleven and my Uncle   
had dropped me off for the yearly visit. Father arrived and after a couple to   
times trying to start a conversation he began talking about how 'no two people   
could ever really understand on another', and that I should stop trying to   
understand him. I started getting angry...more because I hadn't seen him since   
the previous year than what he'd just said. He always sent a card on my birthday   
but that was about the only time I ever heard from him... Anyway, he stopped   
talking and stood there behind me for what felt like an hour, then I got fed up   
and started yelling at him. The sad part was that every time I accused him of   
something, he'd shoot me right down in five words or less. It was... like he'd   
read the script ahead of time or something. I finally just got fed up and told him   
I never wanted to see him again. And until I came here... that was what I did."  
  
"Did he still send cards?" Touji asked.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Birthday cards. Did he still send them?"  
  
"Not exactly, I still got a card every year, but it wasn't the same signature.   
After that year I think it was his secretary or something signing his name and   
sending them."  
  
"That sucks..."  
  
"So now I get to go through it all again," Shinji said as he slumped back in his   
seat, "and I don't think getting into the Eva for the first time had me this   
frightened."  
  
"You'll do fine Shinji," Hikari said as she gave his hand a squeeze.  
  
"Thanks... um, maybe we ought to wake up Kensuke? I don't think he wants   
that ant crawling into his mouth..."  
  
The others followed his gaze to their sleeping comrade, and sure enough, an   
ant was following the thin trail of drool from the windowsill upward to Aida's   
open maw. As inspiration struck him, Touji told the others he would handle it,   
and reached for his glass of water.  
  
Once the situation was explained to him a few moments later, all the soaking   
wet Kensuke had to say was that Touji could have picked a much better method   
of waking him.  
  
  
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"Whatcha moping about this time?" Nozomi asked as she sat down next to   
Hikari.  
  
It was later that evening and Hikari had been thinking about Shinji's   
roommate situation again. Not that she'd really _stopped_ thinking about it. In   
the back of her mind it was always there... nagging at her. Whenever Shinji went   
home she wondered if he was looking forward to being alone with the redhead.  
  
At the same time she hated herself for thinking that. She didn't want to be   
jealous-- especially of one of her best friends. She got angry at _herself_ when   
she started doing this, and that just made it all worse. The only thing that she   
could really use to keep herself from going overboard with it was that she   
trusted Shinji to behave.  
  
Of course, Asuka's constant accusations that Shinji (and all men) were   
perverts didn't help that much...  
  
She was about to tell her sister that nothing was wrong when she remembered   
whom she was talking to. Somehow Nozomi had turned out to be one of those   
people who learned from example before experience caught up to them. It was a   
rare trait in itself, but was made all the more impressive by her willingness to   
help her sisters do the same when possible.  
  
It wouldn't hurt to see if she could help.  
  
About half an hour later she finished telling the younger girl her long list of   
problems and troubles. Nozomi had listened carefully, and once Hikari was   
done-- made a show of pondering the situation-- scratching her chin in a sage-  
like manner.  
  
"So you're worried that Soryu might suddenly see something in Shinji that   
she isn't now, right?"  
  
"Right."  
  
"And Asuka says she hates boys, correct?"  
  
"Correct."  
  
"But she's constantly glomping all over this Kaji guy?"  
  
"Constantly."  
  
"The answer is simple; find her an older guy that's within a reasonable dating   
age and hook them up."  
  
"That's a great idea!" Hikari started to say excitedly... then she realized the   
downside to that plan, "um... I don't know any older guys..."  
  
"I'm not going to handle this whole thing for you," Nozomi said with a grin--   
as she turned over in the chair she was in to hang upside down, "but I will give   
you one final clue."  
  
"Don't get the idea I'm not grateful sis, its just this whole thing has me on   
edge."  
  
"Fair enough. Anyway, you might want to ask Kodama if she knows anyone   
who's available."  
  
"That's a good idea!" Hikari said as her eyes lit up again, "thanks runt!" she   
gave Nozomi a kiss on the forehead and hurried upstairs to Kodama's room.  
  
"I swear," Nozomi said with a sigh -- once she was alone, "those two would   
forget how to tie their shoes if I wasn't around...."  
  
  
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At one AM the following morning, despite Touji's advice, Hikari's   
complaints, and his own better judgment, Kensuke was still wide-awake and   
online.  
  
[TetsuShojo] I'm sorry I got you in trouble with your   
friends.  
  
[TheMechSage] it' not your fault, and they do have a   
point. I have been staying up pretty late the past   
few weeks.  
  
[TetsuShojo] I gotta admit I'm a bit flattered that   
someone is putting themselves under such stress just   
to talk with me ^_^  
  
[TheMechSage] What was it you were telling me just   
last night about swelling Egos? *LoL*  
  
[TetsuShojo] There's a big difference. You're a boy   
who'd just won a sports event, I'm a cute lil girl   
who's being flattered-- I'm allowed to let my ego   
swell a bit. =D   
  
[TheMechSage] You _sure_ you're not American? =/  
  
[TetsuShojo] *LoL* Quite sure-- I'm as Japanese as   
you are.  
  
[TheMechSage] Sorry, it's just that I still don't   
know that much about you.  
  
[TetsuShojo] And you're worried I might be some fat,   
balding guy from Hong Kong IRL?  
  
[TheMechSage] Its not that, I do believe you... but   
it's been a couple of months now and Touji is starting   
to think I'm making you up.  
  
[TetsuShojo] Ken, I'd send you a pic if I could, but   
the computers here are all monitored and if any graphics   
go out it triggers an alert, then shuts down the   
connection.  
  
[TheMechSage] I understand. I get exposed to enough   
security measures from my dad, and just being in such   
close proximity to Nerv that I'd have to be crazy _not_   
to understand.  
  
[TetsuShojo] It's hard on me too Ken... I mean, I want   
to meet you, but they won't let us kids travel too far   
from here.  
  
[TheMechSage] It's not that I'm getting impatient, its   
just Touji was driving me crazy with all those questions   
that I didn't have answers for. I can wait, don't worry   
about me.  
  
[TetsuShojo] Have I mentioned lately that you're a sweetie?  
  
[TheMechSage] Yes, but I could always use some more ego-  
swelling praise ^_^  
  
[TetsuShojo] Silly =P  
  
  
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A few days later as the class was cleaning up the school, Hikari decided it   
was time to put her plan into action. She left the others in their classroom and   
went out into the hall where Asuka was supposed to be mopping the floor. She   
found the redhead standing near a corner with her cell phone, and a determined   
look on her face.  
  
As she stepped closer, Asuka suddenly began to scream into the receiver.  
  
"Eeeeeeek! Help me Kaji, no-NO! Don't touch me you pervert! Heeeeeelp!"  
  
Asuka deactivated the phone and a satisfied grin crossed her face, "that ought   
to do it," she said.  
  
"What was _that_ all about?" Hikari asked as she reached the German girl.  
  
"Oh, I was trying to get a hold of Kaji, I wanted him to take me out   
tomorrow," Asuka let out a frustrated sigh, "I keep calling and calling him, but   
he's always out these days."  
  
"Then you're going to be free tomorrow?"  
  
"_Un_fortunately, that seems to be the case..."  
  
"Then I have a favor to ask of you"  
  
"Hmm? What is it?"  
  
Hikari leaned in and whispered the question in Asuka's ear. Hopefully if no   
one knew about it she would have an easier time convincing the redhead to   
accept the invitation. Unfortunately that plan was tossed out the window.  
  
"What? A _date_?" Asuka cried out, causing half the people in the hall to   
look at them like they were crazy.  
  
Struggling to keep a straight face, Hikari smiled and pressed her luck. "He's a   
friend of my sister Kodama, and he asked if one of us could introduce him to   
you... it would at least help if you'd meet him. Pretty please?"  
  
Keeping her fingers crossed, she left Asuka alone to think it over.  
  
  
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It was a shock Shinji never saw coming, and one that triggered so many   
memories that it left him not only speechless, but unable to move as well. The   
crazy thing was that the shock's trigger was something so seemingly trivial--   
nothing that anyone would believe if he tried to explain.  
  
He had been cleaning the classrooms with the others when he'd seen it out of   
the corner of his eye. Rei had been scrubbing the floor when she'd stopped to   
wring out her rag, and that had been what caught his attention. Something about   
the way she was wringing out the washcloth had reminded him of... it was crazy   
but it reminded him of the way that... his mother?  
  
As he watched the water drip from the cloth he could almost see an image in   
his mind's eye overlapping Rei, and that was what had frozen him. The face...   
their faces were--  
  
His train of thought didn't so much get derailed as demolished by the broom   
smacking him upside the head.  
  
"HEY!" Touji yelled cheerfully, "Get back to work ya lazy slug!"  
  
"Why don't _you_ get back to work," came Hikari's voice from across the   
room, "in fact, why don't you get to _his_ work while you're at it."  
  
Touji wasn't an idiot. He got decent grades and did fairly well on tests, but he   
could be a little slow sometimes. One thing he'd never quite gotten the hang of   
was _not_ teasing Shinji when Hikari was within earshot. As he groaned and   
resumed sweeping the floor, he cussed himself out for that oversight.  
  
  
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"Is something the matter Shinji?" Hikari asked as they stepped out onto the   
roof, You look like you just saw a ghost."  
  
The rest of the class was done cleaning and they had stayed behind to lock   
everything back up before they went home.  
  
"I... I dunno," Shinji replied, "I think maybe I just did..."  
  
"What are you talking about? That was a joke."  
  
"It's hard to describe but... do you believe in ghosts?"  
  
"I dunno, maybe... who knows, I mean we have angels and giant robots, why   
not ghosts?"  
  
"I'm serious."  
  
Hikari sighed, "I don't know, Shinji... no one's been able to prove anything so   
I don't want to just say 'sure', but I do like to believe something happens when   
we die."  
  
" . . . "  
  
"What did you see?"  
  
"I'm really sure," he said softly, "I think I might need to think about it some   
more before I try to describe it."  
  
"Okay... oh, by the way, are you _sure_ that you're going to be free for our   
date next week?"  
  
"Yeah," Shinji said-- brightening up, "I went ahead and got Misato to help, so   
unless we get attacked I have a three day window."  
  
"That great!" Hikari said as she kissed him, "everything seems to be falling   
into place, I have a really good feeling about this."  
  
  
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The elevator down to the lab was faster than the escalator, but it still seemed   
to take forever sometimes. It seemed even longer when you were stuck with   
someone who, by her nature, wasn't very talkative. As Shinji stood awkwardly   
in the small room with Rei, he wondered if anyone had found _him_ that   
annoyingly quiet when he'd first arrived in Tokyo Three.  
  
Finally he decided to ask something that had been on his mind for a long   
time.  
  
"I...I'm going to be seeing my father tomorrow... um, what do you think I   
should talk about with him?"  
  
"Why would you ask me about something like that?" Rei replied without   
turning to face him.  
  
"Because," he swallowed and decided just to come out and say it, "because   
you're the only one I've seen talk to my father... and actually enjoy it."  
  
She didn't reply for awhile and Shinji realized that he hadn't really asked her   
anything, "So... what kind of person is my father?" he asked hesitantly.  
  
"I do not know," Rei answered softly-- had there been a touch of regret in her   
voice?  
  
"I see..." Shinji said. It looked like no one knew what the man was like... not   
even the person who had seemed closest to him.  
  
"Is that why you have been watching me so intently since this afternoon?"   
Rei asked, surprising him a bit, "because you wanted to ask me that?"  
  
"It was one of the reasons"  
  
"And the other?"  
  
"Well... when we were cleaning the classroom-- when you were wringing out   
that cloth? It reminded me of something."  
  
"Of what?"  
  
"This is going to sound silly, but it reminded me of my mother."  
  
"Y--your mother?"  
  
"Yeah, that was usually how my mom would wring out water, it's no big deal   
though, It was just something that caught my eye. Sorry to bore you with it."  
  
Rei wasn't facing him, so he didn't see her. Had he looked, he would have   
seen a small, confused frown cross her face.  
  
  
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'Just like last time...' Shinji thought as Gendou Ikari stepped out of the VTOL   
and walked toward the grave where he was already waiting.  
  
The memorial was huge, stretching across the dry lakebed as far as the eye   
could see. It had started as a project to honor all those that had died during   
second impact, but had grown as the repercussions from the catastrophe began   
to take their toll as well. Starvation, aftershocks, and war had increased the   
already horrific numbers. All to soon the monument was growing. Finally in   
2004 they stopped construction. Not because the deaths had ceased, but because   
they were running out of land. Yui Ikari's had been one of the final headstones in   
the memorial.  
  
Shinji had never asked as to why his mother's headstone had been placed   
there, he didn't really remember just how she had died-- mostly because he   
didn't like to think about it. Visiting the memorial had always bothered him a bit,   
because it was just that-- a memorial. She wasn't there; none of the dead were   
actually there. All he was really seeing before him was a stone with her name.  
  
Commander Ikari drew closer and Shinji had to struggle not to get up and   
leave. He hadn't even seen his father in person since just after he'd first arrived,   
once he'd moved in with Misato, it seemed that the Commander had left it   
completely up to her to deal with him. In a way he was glad of that, and in   
another it angered him.  
  
The Commander stood beside him for a long time before finally speaking.  
  
"It's been three years since we were both here together."  
  
Shinji nodded, "that was when I ran away," he said, admitting it between   
them, "I never did come back you know... I just never felt like mother really   
rests here."  
  
He was quiet for several moments, then spoke again, "I don't even remember   
her face clearly."  
  
"People go on living by forgetting the pain of the past. Nevertheless, there are   
some things we have that we must not forget. Yui once taught me that one   
indispensable thing, and I come here each year to confirm that.  
  
"Do-- do you have anything of her left? A photo?"  
  
"Nothing is left, even this grave is an artifice. You were right in that regard.   
Nothing remains."  
  
"So what Uncle said was true," Shinji said sadly, "you cast everything   
away..."  
  
"What does remain is in my mind... I'm satisfied with that."  
  
There was another long stretch of silence, then finally Gendou turned, and   
began to walk back to where the VTOL would pick him up.   
  
"Father?" Shinji said suddenly.  
  
Gendou stopped and turned back to face his son.  
  
"I don't know if that's really true..." Shinji said suddenly.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I'm not sure I can explain it..."  
  
"You would do well not to waste my time."  
  
Shinji closed his eyes; mentally preparing himself to ask what he'd been   
wondering for the past day.  
  
"Who is Rei?" he asked quickly, forcing the words out before he could freeze   
up.  
  
Gendou was silent for a long time, even if Shinji had found the courage to   
look up; he would have read nothing in the man's expression.  
  
"I-um... its just that people keep commenting on us being alike somehow and   
the other day when we were cleaning I saw-"  
  
"Enough."  
  
Shinji turned and found the stone face of Gendou Ikari had hardened even   
further.  
  
"You will discontinue this line of questioning and never bring the subject up   
again--either with myself or with others. Do you understand?"  
  
"Father I'm sorry if I was out of line to ask that but lately when I-"  
  
"I said that is _enough_. Any more questions on this subject, and you will be   
restricted to Central Dogma at all times save that of attack. Any information you   
have about the First Child is as of now to be considered top secret. Anyone   
outside this organization you discuss it with will be penalized," Gendou paused   
and the two locked eyes for a brief moment before Shinji tuned away, "The   
subject of Rei Ayanami's origins are something you will desist in pursuing. I   
would advise you to leave such things alone for the good of yourself, and the   
good of those you care for."  
  
With that, Commander Ikari turned and began walking off to the arriving   
transport. As he walked into the rising cloud of dust, Shinji fought down the   
urge to scream after him.  
  
  
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The VTOL lifted off and Rei sat quietly as the commander watched the city   
from the window.  
  
She knew that this was a special day for the commander and his son. The loss   
of Pilot Ikari's birthmother was a cusp event that had indirectly sped the   
transformation of Gehirn into Nerv. The full transfer of personal and resources   
had taken years, as the proper political strings were still in the process of being   
attached and pulled worldwide, but that date had been the flashpoint.  
  
She had spied the angry exchange between father and son, and was confused   
that the Commander wasn't displaying any of the emotion she associated with   
such arguments. True, the Commander had always acted differently than other people.   
Until recently, she had always assumed that such emotions were simply something that   
neither of them possessed. She had rarely felt anything for anyone other than him,   
and had always thought that to be perfectly normal. She was changing, however, and   
so was her opinion on that matter.  
  
Shinji had asked her what kind of man his father was. She had realized then,   
that she honestly did not know the answer to that. She had never thought of these  
things. She'd never a reason to until Pilot Ikari had arrived in Tokyo Three, she   
had not sought any personal contacts with either her classmates or the members of   
Nerv. His arrival had become as much of a cusp event for her as his mother's death   
had for Nerv.  
  
It had started with Miss Horaki asking about him during school. She'd at first   
ignored the girl, but something had caught in her mind that day. Something in   
Miss Horaki's tone. A fondness in the girl's voice towards Pilot Ikari that had   
stirred something within her. She'd felt a fondness like it before when she'd lived   
with the commander. Nostalgia was something new to Rei. Dwelling in the past   
was something that she did seldom save for when a task required it. She didn't   
have much to dwell on, save the day that she had nearly died in Unit Zero.  
  
She thought to the scene she'd spied before the VTOL had taken off. Both   
Ikari's had saved her life; both had risked danger for her. She was still unsure   
why the Commander's actions had impacted her so much more than his son's. Or why   
she hadn't paid him much attention until after he had done so.  
  
It confused her. She felt the growing fondness towards pilot Ikari. A kinship   
was the closest she could define it. She did not believe these feelings were lust.   
She'd witnessed lust among her classmates and this did not resemble that. Until   
she could further understand it, she would have to observe people who were   
more accustomed to emotional interaction. Ideally, she should to observe Pilot   
Ikari's interactions with his girlfriend. They were a convenient and ready source   
of information on that subject, and perhaps the answer to her questions would lie   
therein.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Asuka was royally pissed off.  
  
Her date had started fairly well, the guy was handsome and when Kodama   
had introduced them he'd seemed charming enough. Granted he was no where   
close to matching Kaji in that department, but few mortals were. She'd been   
expecting at least a fun afternoon.  
  
They had gone to the entertainment district's amusement park, and that _had_   
been fun at first. She enjoyed roller coasters and other exciting rides, and made   
no excuses for being an adrenaline junkie. She even enjoyed some of the theme   
rides that moved slower as long as they had something interesting to look at. She   
did _not_ however, like being pawed during them.  
  
When the guy had put his arm around her she hadn't minded-- that's what   
guys on dates did in all the movies, so no big deal there. On one of the slower   
rides, however, the jackass had crossed the line-- figuratively and literally. A   
hand on her shoulder was one thing, when it had moved to her side she'd decided   
to elbow him in the ribs to get the point across. That had worked until the   
following ride.  
  
She'd wanted to go on another roller coaster; he'd wanted to take another   
slow ride. After a bit of arguing that came a hairs breath of turning into an   
argument he had promised that she could pick the rides for the rest of the day if   
she'd let him have one more pick.  
  
In hindsight, she should have argued further.  
  
He'd behaved for the first half, but once they'd gone into the cave portion, the   
hand had gone rogue again. She was about to elbow him for the _second_ time   
when the hand slid from her side, into her jacket and over her chest. She didn't   
waste time letting him know her opinion on such petting, and a half a second   
later the older boy's hand was cupping his nose and lip instead of her clevace.  
  
Once they were outside again Asuka had told him to meet her at the next ride   
while she went to the ladies room. Either the guy was dumber than she thought,   
or he wanted to ditch her as much as she wanted to ditch him because he'd   
agreed and they had split up.  
  
She'd headed straight home from there and was looking forward to yelling at   
someone and blowing off some steam. When she reached the door of the   
apartment however she was a bit surprised to hear classical music drifting out   
from behind the door. To her knowledge Misato never listened to that kind of   
stuff, and Shinji didn't even have a stereo.  
  
Her curiosity overcoming her annoyance at the day's events she quietly   
opened and shut the door and slipped inside. Once the door was open, she could   
hear the music much clearer-- and was a little surprised that she recognized the   
tune. She made a mental note to ask him where he'd learned to play Wagner. It   
was the first sign that he had _any_ taste.  
  
She turned the corner and found Shinji sitting at the kitchen table with a   
cello, playing like he was possessed. His body was tense, and his shirt soaked   
with sweat, it was far too cool in the house for him to be hot... just how long   
_had_ he been playing?  
  
He reached the end of the song and as the last cord was played-- just as she   
thought he would relax and let out a breath-- he started to play the tune again   
from the beginning. She hadn't even known he played an instrument at all, much   
less this well and Asuka stood there transfixed by the tune as he flew through it   
with expert precision.  
  
When he again reached the end of the tune, she couldn't help but applaud.  
  
Shinji hadn't a clue that he had gained an audience, and nearly jumped out of   
his skin at the sound, and he came a hair's breath from dropping his cello.  
  
"A-Asuka? Um... I didn't expect you back till later..." he told her as she   
walked through the kitchen to the living room.  
  
"Plans change sometimes-- fact of life y'know," she dropped down to the   
floor in the living room, "so when did you start playing? I didn't see a cello   
when we moved your stuff to the closet, er, I mean your room..."  
  
"I never had a chance to pack it when I came here," Shinji said absently,   
"they sent it a while back and its been in storage... I didn't pick it up until today."  
  
"Well, its not like there's much space in these little shoeboxes you people call   
bedrooms over here," she said with a sigh, forgetting that she had twice as much   
space than he did.  
  
"So did your date go well?" he asked, ignoring the cheep shot at his culture.  
  
"Not really," Asuka said with a frown that Shinji couldn't see, "my date   
turned out to have even less of a personality than you, so I ditched him and came   
back."  
  
"Isn't that a little cold?"  
  
"You didn't meet the dork, so don't make any assumptions, Third Child," she   
let out a wistful sigh, "Kaji's the only _real_ man in my life Shinji, it's a pity he's   
so hung up on Misato."  
  
"Don't look at me to explain, I don't think I'll ever understand adults."  
  
"What's with you anyway? You look terrible... is the Commander really   
_that_ scary?"  
  
"I don't want to talk about it."  
  
"Suit yourself, I'm going to take a shower."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Hello, this is the Horaki residence, we can't come to the phone right now,   
but if you'll leave a name and number we will get back to you as soon as   
possible. Thank you!"  
  
Shinji sighed and hung up the phone, that was the tenth time he'd called that   
evening and Hikari still wasn't home. He knew that she might not be back till   
late that night, but he needed to talk with someone soon. Touji was out at a game   
and Kensuke must have been online... Misato was at that wedding... and he   
couldn't talk to Rei, not about this.  
  
As he paced the living room for the nine-hundredth time, the phone rang and   
he almost tripped over a cushion trying to reach it.  
  
"Katsuragi residence," he said, praying that it was Hikari...  
  
"Hi, Shinji? Its me"  
  
"Oh hi Misato..."  
  
"I'm goona be ut drinking wit kaggi, don't wait up for me 'k?"  
  
'She sounds like she's already plastered, what's the point of adding to that?' he   
wondered privately as he thanked her for letting them know. He didn't   
understand the whole alcohol thing; particularly Misato's take on it... but people   
seemed to enjoy it so he didn't say anything.  
  
As he hung up the phone Asuka stepped out of the bathroom, "was that   
Misato?"  
  
"Yeah, she said she won't be back till late... I think."  
  
"Drinking again huh?"  
  
"Yeah... I just wish Hikari would get home soon, I need to talk to someone."  
  
"Oh, and what am I? Birdcrap?"  
  
" . . . No offence Asuka, but is something wrong?"  
  
"What makes you say that?" she responded indignantly  
  
"Well its not like you ever show much interest in others..."  
  
"Well maybe no one around here ever does anything interesting."  
  
"Nevermind," he said as he turned to go to his room. He didn't know why he   
even bothered sometimes.  
  
"Come on, I'll listen, I won't even laugh--much, promise."  
  
"I don't know..."  
  
"Stop being a wuss and spill."  
  
"It's about my father..."  
  
"OK. I'm with you so far," Asuka said flippantly, "creepy guy, wears glasses,   
our commanding officer, go on"  
  
"Stop that, this isn't funny."  
  
"Jeez, okay already... you were saying?"  
  
"I asked him about something and he...he..."  
  
"He what?"  
  
"He said that if I ever bring it up again anyone who I'm talking about it with   
will get in more trouble than me."  
  
"So?"  
  
"What do you mean 'so'?" Shinji practically growled, "He threatened my   
friends! He threatened Hikari, and there's nothing I can do about it!"  
  
"If it was classified information, that's how it always goes. I'm sorry you're   
all strung out and everything but there's not much you or I can really do about   
it."  
  
"That's exactly why I'm strung out damnit!" he yelled suddenly, "you asked   
me awhile back why I pilot? It's to protect my friends, to protect Hikari, and if I   
can't _do_ that then what's the damn point? I start thinking I finally have _some_   
measure of control in my life then... then my...my _father_ shoots it all down,   
and shows me just how helpless I really am."  
  
He tuned on his heel and stormed out to the patio, and shut the glass behind   
him--leaving Asuka standing in the kitchen with a very surprised look on her   
face.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
About half an hour later Asuka stepped outside and found Shinji leaning   
against the balcony, looking out at the city. It wasn't as if she was worried about   
him, he might be a dork, but he was still a pilot and was therefore tougher than   
even he thought he was. It was more that he had confused her tonight.  
  
Ever since she'd met him he had annoyed her-- mostly because he seemed to   
refuse to do anything for himself. He would sit there in his room like a lump   
until someone told him to do something, and she'd gotten the impression that he   
_liked_ it that way. She didn't know exactly why that kind of personality had   
always angered her, but it did.  
  
Asuka had been running under the impression that Shinji had stayed and   
continued to pilot just because people wanted him to, and that had been-- in her   
mind--the worst reason he could have picked. Even if he hadn't been sure _why_   
he piloted she would've had more respect for him, but to just do it just because   
someone said so? That was a high crime in her book... and until a little while   
ago, she had thought that to be Shinji's reason.  
  
Maybe that was why his constant politeness gotten on her nerves... she'd   
believed he was just trying to get her to be nice to him. It was something she   
hadn't thought about much.  
  
Asuka wasn't so caught up in herself that she wasn't aware that she tended not   
to think things though sometimes. She did pride herself on her instincts, but she   
knew that while they were superior to _some_ people's, they were not totally   
infallible. She didn't like to admit being wrong, but sometimes she knew you   
just had to bite the bullet and fess up.  
  
Right now she was re-evaluating her initial impression of one Shinji Ikari.  
  
"Hey stupid," she said as she stepped out onto the patio, "you gonna sit out   
here all night?"  
  
"Maybe..." he replied as she joined him at the ledge.  
  
"Look, sorry I gave you a hard time back there, I... I kinda had a crappy day."  
  
"Don't worry about it," he replied dismissivlly.  
  
"Look moron," she said hotly, "if you don't want to hear this that's fine, but   
don't you expect me to make the effort again if you're going to be   
unappreciative."  
  
"I'm sorry..."  
  
"That's better. Now look, Shinji, we're working for an agency so top secret that   
until the Angels attacked no one even knew it existed. I grew up around all this,   
and sometimes I forget that you didn't. It might take some getting used to, but   
the whole 'top secret' thing is important. Did you know that there are people who   
want to stop Nerv from doing its job?"  
  
"Really?" Shinji asked-- surprised not only at that idea, but that Asuka was   
trying to have a civilized conversation, "but who would want to do something   
like that?"  
  
"There are some nutty fringe groups who didn't take kindly to the English   
translation of what we call the Angels, some countries who are pissed at how   
much funding Nerv gets, and a few others, you'd be surprised."  
  
"Surprised is one word..."  
  
"My point is that if your dad told you something is off limits to talk about   
then there's probably a damn good reason, I doubt he did it just to piss you off."  
  
" . . . "  
  
"Look, I'm not saying he isn't an asshole, from what I hear, he is-- and then   
some. But he's also the supreme Commander of Nerv and I doubt he got the job   
by accident."  
  
"I... thanks Asuka."  
  
"Don't sweat it," she replied as she turned to walk back inside, "I mean,   
_someone_ had to set you straight."  
  
Asuka closed the door and Shinji looked back out at the skyline of Tokyo   
Three, lost in thought.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"I can't believe the kept us waiting that long," Kodama said as she and her   
sisters arrived back at their home, "you'd think they could have gotten a repair   
crew out there faster than that."  
  
"Well, at least we made it home in time to get some sleep. I don't know about   
you, but I'm beat. See you in the morning," Hikari said as she climbed upstairs   
to her room with Nozomi already asleep in her arms.  
  
They had been on what was supposed to have been a short trip to Kyoto for   
one of Kodama's friend's wedding. It had been an enjoyable trip until a rockslide   
had blocked their way home. The location was as such that it had taken about   
four hours to clear the obstruction.  
  
They were all exhausted and Kodama didn't blame her sister at all for   
wanting to go straight to bed-- she intended to do so herself once she checked   
the messages.  
  
There was one from their father letting them know he was sleeping at the   
office again, two from various classmates asking for advice on schoolwork, and   
five from Shinji asking Hikari to call when she got in.  
  
Kodama went upstairs and one glance told her that Hikari was out until   
morning-- she hadn't even undressed fully. Leaving a note for her sister about   
the message, she closed the door and went to bed.  
  
She hoped whatever Shinji needed could wait till morning.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Shinji didn't hear the doorbell, or even know anyone was there until Asuka   
shouted Kaji's name. He had been listening to his SDAT in the living room,   
while Asuka was fiddling around the kitchen making a snack. When Asuka   
shouted out he looked up and saw Kaji walk in to the kitchen supporting Misato   
over his shoulder.  
  
He dropped his music and hurried over immediately to assist. A few   
moments later when they had deposited the intoxicated Misato in her room Kaji   
thanked him and bade them both good night. Asuka wasn't so eager to let him   
out the door however.  
  
"You could spend the night here Kaji," she said as she turned her puppydog   
eyes up to maximum force.  
  
Kaji smiled and shook his head "I'd never live it down if I went to work   
dressed like this," he hooked a thumb at his suit to emphasize the point.  
  
Asuka either didn't hear him or didn't care because she immediately glomped   
him and smiled sweetly, "that doesn't matter, I mean...." something caused her to   
trail off as Kaji headed for the door, leaving her standing behind him.  
  
"Take care of Misato for me ok?" he asked Shinji as the younger boy walked   
him to the door.  
  
"I'll try, but as drunk as she looks I don't know if I want to be here in the   
morning..."  
  
"Misato will be fine, I've never known anyone who could shake off a   
hangover like her."  
  
"Ok, I'll try. Goodnight Kaji."  
  
"Night Shinji," Kaji said cheerfully as the door shut behind him.  
  
Shinji walked back into the kitchen and found Asuka was still standing in the   
same place looking from the hall where he stood to the door of Misato's room.   
Her face was blank, but if Shinji had to guess he would say something had   
shocked her.  
  
"Asuka?" he asked as he stepped closer, "what is it?"  
  
" . . . "  
  
"Are you okay? Is something wrong?"  
  
"Lavdr pfume" she mumbled, barely loud enough for him to hear anything at   
all, much less make sense of it.  
  
"Asuka?"  
  
"I need... I need to go," she said suddenly, as she pushed past him and walked   
to her room. A few seconds later she reappeared wearing warm-ups and jogging   
shoes. Again, she pushed past him to the kitchen.  
  
"Asuka, what happened?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Asuka something is wrong, please tell me!" he insisted as he followed her to   
the hall.  
  
"Leave me alone third child."  
  
"Not while you're acting like this," Shinji said with a frown.  
  
"Ok... then you better keep up because I'm not going to stop for anyone,   
especially you."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
About an hour later they both nearly passed out on the grass of a nearby park.   
Asuka had intended to loose Shinji early on, but hadn't counted on him being   
able to keep up with her. They had run to the school at first, then down to the   
cliffs and back before finishing with several laps around the local park. Finally   
they'd pushed themselves too far and had stopped for a well-earned rest.  
  
"I... don't th--think I can move my arms," Shinji panted as he lay back and   
hoped he didn't cramp up.  
  
"At least you... can move your head, I... don't think I can even turn mine,"   
Asuka replied as she fought to catch her breath, "and since... since when can you   
run... like that?"  
  
"A couple months of tra--of track will do wonders for you, sometimes I'll put   
on... my headphones and just go till I run out of steam."  
  
"That sounds like you."  
  
"So what?"  
  
"Sorry," She said as she looked at the moon above them.  
  
"Its ok... um, are you going to tell me why we just ran across Tokyo Three?"  
  
" . . . "  
  
"I don't mean to be rude... sorry."  
  
Asuka was quiet for awhile. Finally she turned to look at him and he could   
see her fighting back tears  
  
"Have you ever been in love with someone you knew you could never have?"   
she asked him.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Unrequited love, ever been there?"  
  
"I don't know... I guess not."  
  
"Then don't ask me to explain it," she said sadly, "I didn't know just how far   
out of reach he was... till tonight"  
  
"You mean Kaji?"  
  
"Not too much of a stretch to guess that, was it?"  
  
"Oh... I'm sorry."  
  
"Don't be. You know what? I hate Misato sometimes, Asuka said, "she just   
waltzed back into his life and stole him away..."  
  
"I don't think that's exactly how it happened," Shinji pointed out.  
  
"Doesn't matter, its close enough."  
  
"You know... he is a little old for you..."  
  
Asuka smirked at that; she had been waiting for him to bring that one up  
  
"And just exactly how much older was your father when he married your   
mom? Don't know? Try like ten years."  
  
"Oh...I didn't know that."  
  
Asuka leaned up on her elbows to a sitting position; "I know all the   
arguments why I shouldn't be chasing after him Shinji, don't think you can say   
anything I haven't heard."  
  
"I see..."  
  
"Don't worry about it, " she said as they got to their feet, "remind me to thank   
you for running with me sometime, it helped to have someone to race."  
  
"You're welcome," he told her as they started walking back to the apartment.  
  
"Asuka, I--" he started to say as he turned to find her face suddenly in his.   
Something warm and soft pressed against his lips and his eyes went wide. A   
second passed, then three, and without realizing it he found himself returning the   
kiss. Finally she backed away with a playful smile.  
  
"On second thought," she said as she walked on ahead, "no need to remind   
me... hmm so _that's_ what Hikari sees in you."  
  
Shinji didn't quite know what to say, so he wisely kept his mouth shut for the   
duration of their trip back.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"You moron!" he muttered to himself as he stared at his ceiling later that   
morning, "what the _hell_ was I doing?"  
  
He didn't know. He had gone over it again and again and he still had no idea   
why he had returned the kiss. It had been a stupid move; made even worse by   
the fact he had enjoyed it.  
  
He wanted to scream. He was incredibly angry with himself and with Asuka.   
Perhaps less so with Asuka, after all, he was the one who'd stood there like an   
idiot and let her do it instead of breaking it off.  
  
He decided the best thing he could do was to forget about it. It wasn't as if   
that had been a serious kiss anyway.   
  
He would just pretend it never happened.  
  
  
[]==================[]  
To be Continued...  
[]==================[]  
  
  
Authors Incoherent Babbling:  
  
Well that's part one. When I decided to go ahead and use the kiss, I realized   
that things were too different for it to work as it originally had, so I changed up   
the reasons and motivations behind it. Why did Asuka kiss Shinji after declaring   
her undying love for Kaji? Well, She'll explain herself somewhere down the   
line, just be patient. ^_^  
  
Those of you who've written in to complain about Shinji growing a spine... I   
want to remind y'all; love makes you do the wacky. Having a girlfriend has   
boosted his self-esteem a great deal... I dunno, people seem to hate changes to a   
character, but I think that in this case it's at least a _little_ justified. I've always   
said that if a story has a character acting differently then there better be a darn   
good reason for it. Otherwise, it's Out Of Character and it's annoying. Also, I'd   
like to point out that the Shinji in this story is an amalgam of the TV and the   
manga. In the manga, Shinji was a bit more decisive than he was in the TV... not   
to a huge extent, but enough so that some people actually complained about it.  
  
Lets see, what else... things are going to start to get rough on the kids from   
here out... I was going back over my episodes and I realized that the whole   
'report to Seele/11th angel' was more or less the turning point in the series. From   
there people started to get royally screwed up emotionally.  
  
Incidentally, I'm kind of disappointed in the readers so far... no one has   
guessed who Kensuke's internet friend is, I thought it was kind of obvious.   
*shrug* Well, she wont be back for a couple of chapters so you have awhile to   
figure it out. ^_^  
  
Btw, does anyone know a way to order things out of this E-mono book I   
picked up? All kinds of Eva goodies, pages and PAGES of Eva goodies, but I   
can't read the Kanji so I don't know if this is something I could order from here   
in the states or if you can only order them in Japan.  
  
Anyway I'm outta here,  
  
Stay cool y'all!  
  
  
Hotwire   
Chain Lightning Studios  
http://www.chainlightningstudios.com  
  
  
  



	2. 

  
  
  
Chain Lightning Studios Presents  
Together We Stand: book two  
Divided We Fall  
By T. L. Webb  
  
  
  
Don't leave me now,  
Don't say it's the end of the road  
Don't leave me now  
Pink Floyd, The Wall  
  
  
[]======================[]  
Book Two, Part Two  
[]======================[]  
  
  
  
In the depths of the Geofront, hundreds of meters below the surface   
of the earth, there was a colossal gate labeled as Nerv's LCL plant. To   
merely get within view of this door required a security clearance of the   
highest rank. Only a dozen people in the entire organization possessed   
this level of clearance-- even fewer had the level necessary to open it,   
and Ryouji Kaji was normally not one of those few. It had taken him   
almost two months of careful hacking to decode the sequence to open   
this door. Its very existence had initially proved to be a surprise to him.   
His original orders had been simply to keep an eye on Gendou Ikari and   
find out what Nerv and the mysterious organization Seele were up to,   
but he had a hunch that this was going to be more fruitful than his usual   
eavesdropping.   
  
He knew that Ikari was aware of his orders and his mission-- he had   
no illusions that his snooping around was going totally undetected.   
Ikari was using him like he used everyone else. For the moment he had   
a use-- he was a pipeline into the Japanese Government that the   
Commander could use to disperse falsified information. When Ikari   
finally decided that he was becoming more trouble than he was worth,   
Kaji knew that he would discard him like a soiled tissue. The only   
question remaining was how much could he dig up before that time   
came.   
  
He wondered sometimes if he was crazy. He was walking straight   
into the lion's den with a side of beef tied around his neck, and   
eventually the commander _would_ give that final order. As long as he   
remained with Nerv the hands on the deathwatch would tick ever closer   
to that final moment. Yet he still strolled casually into that den with a   
grin on his face.   
  
Until the previous night it had all been so easy... he almost wanted   
to slap himself for getting involved with Misato again. He had loved   
her so intensely that even when she had abandoned him seven years   
ago he couldn't bring himself to hate her. Despite all the walls he'd tried   
to build to protect his heart, the moment he had seen her on the bridge   
of the Over the Rainbow he known that it was a lost cause. He'd known   
at that moment that he'd never stopped loving her, and that ignoring his   
feelings would be nigh impossible.   
  
But even then she had still insisted she wanted nothing to do with   
him, and he had taken a small comfort in that. If that final order ever   
went out, and his usefulness came to and end, then at least she wouldn't   
be hurt.   
  
'You just had to go and screw all it up didn't you Misato?' he   
thought as his ever-present grin widened, 'I could die with a clean   
conscience if you hated me... you picked a hell of a time to admit you   
felt the other way'   
  
He shook his head and took out the security card he'd spent the last   
two months preparing. If he'd done everything right then he could enter   
and exit anywhere in Terminal Dogma without being recorded... if he'd   
done everything right.  
  
'Moment of truth...' he thought as he raised the card to the scanner.  
  
That was when he felt the gun press against the base of his skull.   
  
There were only three people that had ever been able to sneak up on   
him so effectively. One was living in Germany; the other was currently   
in the United States investigating Nerv's Second Branch. That left only   
one person...   
  
"How's your hangover?" he asked playfully.   
  
"Much better now, thank you" Misato Katsuragi replied   
sarcastically, and indeed she sounded as if she had shaken off the   
effects of their night of drinking with flying colors.  
  
"Well that's good to know"  
  
"Tell me Kaji, is this your real profession or just something you do   
part time? A hobby perhaps?   
  
"Oh, its more of an interest-- hobbies cost money."  
  
"Very cute. You know... there seem to be two men around here   
named Ryouji Kaji. One works for the special investigation institute of   
Nerv, and then there is this other guy with the same name who works   
for Japans Ministry of the Interior"  
  
"Oh? Found out about that did you?"  
  
The gun pressed deeper into the back of his head, and he had to   
fight not to wince.  
  
"Don't underestimate Nerv, Kaji."  
  
"So did the Commander send you out here to slap me on the wrist?"  
  
"No, this was on my own initiative, listen to me and listen good   
Kaji-- if you continue to pursue this 'interest' of yours... you'll die."   
  
"I suppose... but the commander _is_ using me to his own ends, and   
as long as I'm still useful I think he'll let me dig at least a little deeper. I   
am sorry I kept this a secret from you, however."  
  
"I'll let it pass, call it a 'thank you' for your help and discretion last   
night."  
  
"While I do appreciate it, you should know that the commander   
and Ritsu are keeping secrets from you as well," his already broad grin   
widened even further and in one rapid sweep he scanned the card into   
the reader, "and this is it!"  
  
He took a step to the side and caught a glimpse of Misato's face as   
the gate rose from the floor to reveal the interior of the so-called LCL   
plant. Her horrified expression was what made him look himself and he   
wished he could say he was surprised at what he saw.   
  
Across a room so wide and large it defied everything he knew   
about architecture, a crimson cross rose from a sea of LCL. Crucified   
upon this gargantuan cross was a white shape. Its body trailed off at the   
waist into a bubbled mass of flesh, but from there up it was   
recognizably humanoid. On its face, a mask was fixed with an inverted   
triangle and seven eyes chiseled into it.   
  
Had it not been so repulsive it probably would have been more   
impressive.  
  
Misato was even more shocked than he'd expected... then again, he   
sometimes forgot that she was one of the few who had seen the beast   
when it was fully alive and very pissed off.  
  
"This is...and Eva?" She muttered aloud as the realization started to   
hit her, " no, not that... this is-- oh my God in Heaven!"  
  
"Yes," Kaji said his face suddenly grim, " the key to Second   
Impact and everything since. This is the starting point of it all. This is   
Adam."  
  
"The first angel is _here_?" Misato asked rhetorically as her eyes   
narrowed in rage, "you were right Kaji... I don't know Nerv, I don't   
know Nerv at all!"  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Several days later Misato still couldn't shake off the rage and fear   
that seeing the first Angel had instilled in her. She had been there when   
Second Impact had occurred, and had seen first hand the awesome   
power that the creature had at its disposal. That Nerv had it imprisoned   
less than two miles below where she stood was not something she was   
finding easy to forget.  
  
That... thing had killed her father. That thing had wiped out half the   
human race, and Nerv had the gall to keep it stuck up on a wall like   
some grotesque doll?  
  
She was still going over and over all of it in her mind when   
something that Maya was saying finally attracted her attention.  
  
"Well I think it's adorable," Ritsuko's prodigy was saying, " and I   
don't see any harm in it whatsoever."  
  
"It doesn't matter How cute it is," Aoba replied, "its dangerous for   
her to be this involved."  
  
"Just because she doesn't have Section Two protection doesn't   
mean she's in danger of anything," Makoto said, "Nerv has the media   
under tight control. The only reason anyone would find out about it   
would be if someone thought it might help our image--in which case   
she would receive appropriate protection."  
  
"Yeah, but look what happened in Germany after they announced   
the Second Child. Half the Nerv schools got firebombed by nutjobs   
who think that the Angels don't mean us any harm."  
  
"Well that Europeans for you," Misato said--finally speaking up,   
"sometimes I think they're more insane than Americans."  
  
"You live with Shinji," Maya said, " what do you think of his   
seeing the Horaki girl?"  
  
"I think its one of the better things that ever happened to him,"   
Misato replied as she sipped the bitter swill that Nerv seemed to think   
qualified as coffee, "as long as things keep going well between the two   
he's going to be a better pilot for it, I think. He hasn't been this happy   
as long as I've known him. Even if it doesn't work out in the long run   
for some reason... I think he'll be better off for it."  
  
"None of you realize the biggest problem here," Aoba said, "have   
any of you even _tried_ to date outside of the organization?"  
  
The others shook their heads.  
  
"What do you do when your girl or guy asks 'how was your day?'   
and the only thing you can tell them is 'sorry it's classified'?"  
  
"I keep pretty close tab on the conversations they have," Misato   
replied, "and Shinji does a pretty good job of staying away from the off   
limits stuff. Their phone logs are totally clean all across the board too."  
  
"So has the bastard king even congratulated him yet?" Makoto   
asked after looking up and making sure no one was at the top   
observational platform.  
  
"No," Misato said with a sigh, "and the sad part is I don't think he's   
going to. Fortunately for Shinji, he seems to have about given up his   
father... so at least he won't have any high hopes to get crushed."  
  
"Aren't the two supposed to be going out on a date in a day or two?"  
  
"Yep, I made reservations for them at a really fancy place, it'll cost   
two weeks of Shinji's pay but he say's its worth it... too bad most other   
men don't go that extra step"  
  
Aoba and Hyuuga flinched at that.  
  
"Has anyone else worried about how much time we spend gossiping   
about other people's love life's when not one of us is seeing anyone?"   
Aoba asked suddenly seeking to change the subject  
  
"What do you mean?" Maya asked  
  
"Well I know none of us three are seeing anyone-- I spend enough   
time listening to you two complain as it is, and other than the guy with   
the ponytail-"  
  
"Kaji" Hyuuga piped in.  
  
"Right, other than that Kaji guy Misato hasn't had a date since she   
arrived."  
  
"Oh rub it in why don't you" Misato mumbled  
  
Meanwhile Maya was frowning, "well, don't try to pin any of this   
me, I haven't been able to get a date since that incident with Dr. Akagi."  
  
"You mean when she almost sent that British guy to the hospital?"  
  
"Yeah, now everyone is kinda nervous around her staff."  
  
"What did he do anyway?" Misato asked, " I never could get a   
straight answer out of Ritsu."  
  
Hyuuga looked around to make sure no one was nearby and   
grinned, "lets just say that there's a standing threat of castration to any   
guy who calls her 'Dr. Pullring'."   
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Going to be joining us for lunch?" Kensuke asked Hikari as they   
walked back from gym class.   
  
"Not today," Hikari replied, "Kodama said since I'm going out to   
dinner with Shinji tonight I should eat alone for the day, don't ask me   
why..."  
  
"You girls have the weirdest rules about this stuff, it's not exactly   
making me eager to start dating."  
  
"I can understand why, half the time I don't understand the reasons   
myself."  
  
"So you're just going to eat in the classroom like you used to huh?"  
  
"That's the plan, try not to give Shinji any ideas while you're alone   
with him huh?"  
  
"Awww," Kensuke said as he pouted innocently, "what makes you   
think I'd do something like that?"  
  
"Only a half dozen years of putting up with you and your fellow   
stooge while you were still the idiot 'duo'."  
  
"Ouch"  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Much later Hikari would wish she had ignored her sister's advice and   
eaten with the boys as she normally did. She had just finished up, and   
was about to go wash up when she heard Asuka and Ichigo talking as   
they walked down the hall. Ducking back into the room she   
accidentally caught part of a conversation between the two. She hadn't   
meant to eavesdrop, but she also hadn't wanted to interrupt either. So as   
the two had stood on the other side of the door, Hikari had ended up in   
an almost perfect position to hear the part that had cut to the quick.  
  
"So what, Asuka?" Ichigo had said, "its not like he ever talked to   
you much in the first place."  
  
"Yeah, but this is different," Asuka replied, "before he just didn't   
talk, now its like he's deliberately avoiding me. I was cool with it when   
he was just an unfriendly little twerp, but I do _not_ like being   
ignored."  
  
"Any idea why he's avoiding you?"  
  
"Oh, I know _exactly_ why he's avoiding me... remember that night   
I told you we went for a jog?"  
  
"Yeah, the night you were all pissed at Miss. Katsuragi right?"  
  
"Well let's just say that me and Shinji didn't go straight back after   
we stopped at the park."  
  
Hikari didn't hear the rest. She began to feel a bit dizzy and had to   
sit down on a desk quickly for fear of falling. She didn't know what to   
make of what she had just heard; she didn't want to believe it meant   
what she thought it did.  
  
'She's lying, she has to be' Hikari told herself as she tried to gather   
her thoughts, 'he wouldn't do anything with her-- he just wouldn't!'  
  
As she grabbed her things and hurried out, however, a nagging   
thought kept repeating in the back of her mind... just how long could a   
boy ignore someone like Asuka if she were to make herself available?  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Hey Misato?" Shinji called as he stepped out of his room, "I think I   
need some help here..."  
  
Misato poked her head out of her room. When she saw Shinji   
stepping into the living room from across the way she couldn't help but   
laugh. Shinji might be able to pilot the most advanced war machine   
ever constructed, he might have nearly surpassed the second child's   
synch rate to become Nerv's top pilot, he might be the envy of every   
giant robot otaku on the planet, but he didn't know the first thing about   
ties.  
  
As she beckoned him over and began untangling the mess he had   
made of the silk cloth, she fought not to giggle further. Shinji and   
Hikari had only been out together once so far and that had been a   
school dance. This was a whole other ball game as the Americans liked   
to say. Neither of them had really ever been on a date before, and she   
almost regretted agreeing to let them go lone-- it would be interesting   
to see how it all went.   
  
"There you go," she said as she straightened the properly knotted   
tie, "just don't fiddle with it and you'll be fine. Of course you realize   
that if I find out you loosened it and ran around like that I'd be forced   
to hurt you..."  
  
"I think I'll leave that look to Kaji, he wears it better than I do,"   
Shinji replied once he caught his guardian's reference.   
  
"That's right, we'll keep that jerk's bad habits from rubbing off on   
you yet!"  
  
"I _heard_ that!" Asuka shouted from her room.  
  
"Too bad we can't stop _her_ from rubbing on _him_..." Misato   
mumbled as she rolled her eyes.  
  
"I heard that too!" came the retort from behind the closed door.  
  
"One of these days I'm going to figure out how she does that,"   
Shinji said frowning.  
  
"It's one of those cultural things," Misato told him, "we tend to   
respect other's privacy more than most other cultures... probably a   
throwback to when all the walls in a house were just rice paper. I think   
she can't help but listen when she can hear someone else, hence she   
tends to eavesdrop. Anyhow, are you all set? Any last minute   
questions?"  
  
"None that I didn't ask in the past few weeks," Shinji said, "I guess   
all I have to do now is stop shaking..."  
  
"Nervous huh, kid?"  
  
"Yeah, I wish I knew why... I wasn't this jumpy before the dance."  
  
"Probably because it's a different type of environment, a party and a   
restaurant are two totally different settings."  
  
"I guess..."  
  
"You'll do fine Shinji, it can't possible be harder than Eva, just   
keep that in mind."  
  
"This is true."  
  
There was a moment of silence and as Shinji was about to thank   
her for the moral support, the doorbell rang. The transportation had   
arrived.   
  
He stood and walked toward the hall, then paused.  
  
"Thank you Misato," he told his guardian with a smile.  
  
"Don't worry about it, go have some fun."  
  
He nodded and turned to leave.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
When he and the driver arrived at the front of the apartment   
complex, Shinji's mouth fell open. He'd saved for months to put this   
evening together, and for the next week or so he was going to be almost   
totally out of cash. When he'd arranged for transportation however, he   
hadn't gone for anything fancy, just a nice car from a reliable company.   
The driver's tag read that he was of the company Shinji had contacted,   
but the car was not what he'd intended-- not that he was complaining.   
  
'A limo?' he thought as he followed the driver down the steps,   
'when did this happen?'  
  
The answer to that was waiting inside in an envelope that the driver   
handed to him.   
  
Hello Shinji,  
  
I hope you don't mind my taking the liberty of   
upgrading your transportation for the evening,  
but I just couldn't let you go out on your first  
date without some style. This is my treat so  
don't feel the need to repay me, just enjoy the  
evening.  
  
Good luck,  
Kaji  
  
  
P.S. do try to keep your hands to yourself until at  
least the third date... that is unless she makes the   
first move -_^  
  
  
The window up front lowered and the Driver asked if he was ready   
to go. Shinji took a deep breath-- it was time.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
She looked amazing. Her hair was down, and he paused a moment   
to wonder why she didn't wear it this way more often. The pigtails were   
decidedly cute, but this... was breathtaking. The dress her sister had   
loaned her was deceptive in that it at first glance appeared highly   
conservative, but upon closer inspection was highly sensual. It was pale   
pink with a lace floral design etched into it in such a way that it   
appeared almost shear, while actually being opaque. He cleared his   
head and smiled as he greeted her with a proper bow--which she   
returned. He took her arm in his and together they made their way   
down the walk to the cub where the limousine was waiting for them.   
  
When Hikari saw the vehicle her mouth fell open slightly in   
surprise.  
  
"That was fairly close to my reaction," Shinji noted as she turned to   
him with a quizzical expression on her face.  
  
"I don't think I've ever been in one of those before," She told him as   
her shock receded.  
  
"Me neither, its kind of fun, and a _really_ nice change from   
Misato's car."  
  
"Hey, I like Misato's car," Hikari said with a grin.  
  
"You haven't had to ride in the back seat with three paychecks   
worth of Misato, and Asuka's purchases after a trip to the mall."  
  
"Oh."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
As excited as Hikari was about riding in the limo, and the evening   
out with Shinji, in the back of her mind there was still a nagging little   
reminder of the conversation she'd overheard earlier that week. She   
tried hard to force this from her mind and just enjoy herself. This was   
her first real date and she didn't want to ruin it by jumping to   
conclusions.   
  
This wasn't so hard to do and as she and Shinji explored the   
practically enormous limousine she forgot about it eventually. The   
drink station had been re-stocked with non-alcoholic beverages, but it   
did feature an interesting selection of drinks that Hikari had never heard   
of. All kinds of designer soda's and fruit drinks were available, as well   
as spring water and a small selection gourmet snacks. Not wanting to   
ruin their appetites, they opted to save most of that for later, although   
they did try some of the drinks.  
  
They arrived at the restaurant, and Hikari thought she was going to   
faint. She had heard about the place a few weeks back when Asuka had   
been going through a four star restaurant guide, but she had never   
realized how fancy it was. As she saw some of the glamorously dressed   
women walking with their respective dates, she suddenly felt like a   
little kid playing dress up.  
  
They walked up to the front and she began to feel a little better.   
Shinji didn't look at any of the attractive couples who were standing at   
the valet line- although she did note that a few of the women were   
giving them curious stares and giggling behind their hands to their   
dates. Shinji seemed oblivious to all of this as he linked his arm in hers   
and gave her one of his rare smiles-- the kind that had the tendency to   
make all the blood rush to her cheeks and her knees feel wobbly.   
  
Proudly they walked up to the front, and Shinji didn't even blink   
as the matre de sneered down at them from behind his desk. Shinji   
merely reached into his jacket and produced his Nerv ID. When he   
handed it to the matre de, the man's eyes widened a bit and Hikari   
could have sworn the man looked a little frightened. Not sure why this   
could be she gave Shinji a quick glance, but he was still calmly looking   
up at the matre de who was gathering their menus and sweating.  
  
They were led to their seats, a lovely spot that overlooked the lake,   
and the nervous matre de disappeared to wherever it is waiters and such   
disappear to. Finally when they were alone Shinji let out a deep breath   
and grinned at her.  
  
"I wasn't sure that was going to work."  
  
"What did you do," She asked him, "that man looked like he was   
about to have a heart attack!"  
  
"It kind of has to do with why I picked this restaurant," he told her   
as they looked over their menus. "For one thing Misato was the one   
who made the reservations, and she kind of hinted that if we didn't get   
the best service they had then this place might get stepped on by   
'accident' in the next battle."  
  
"Nerv does have a tendency to rack up the collateral damage bills,"   
Hikari agreed with a giggle, "what was the other reason?"  
  
"Well... my father eats here sometimes, and I'm pretty sure that that   
man recognized the name. Kind of ironic, I've hated him for so long   
because he's cold, and harsh-- now that same attitude is getting us five   
star service."   
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Dinner was delightful, and Hikari was having a horrible time not   
eating as much as she wanted-- her sister had drilled into her that   
women didn't make pigs of themselves on dates, and that she should   
order heavily and eat light. Shinji spent most of the night looking at her   
with a warm smile on his face, and she decided that what she heard   
Asuka say must have been out of context. He was looking at her so   
lovingly and tenderly-- as if she were the only star in the night sky. It   
made her pulse quicken and her face grow warm, and she loved every   
instant of it.   
  
When they finally left the restaurant and the driver asked where to   
next Hikari reached out and covered Shinji's mouth before he could say   
back home. She didn't intend to let it get out of hand, but she felt that   
they could use some private time to get a little more intimate than   
they'd had a chance to as of yet. She told the driver to take them out to   
the bay, and as the window rolled down she snuggled up to Shinji and   
placed her head on his shoulder.   
  
The drive took awhile, and about halfway there, Shinji took her   
hand and pressed a switch on the console beside them. The skylight   
above began to open and they climbed to their feet. Hikari was   
comforted to realize that the driver-- apparently used to this from his   
clients-- had slowed to a safer speed. They clamored up and once she'd   
adjusted to the wind in her eyes, she grabbed hold of Shinji's arm and   
let out a gasp.   
  
In the distance she could see Tokyo Three rising out of the   
woodlands like a glowing fairyland palace. The trees rushing past made   
the view seem as if it were through an old time nickelodeon. She   
grinned and held tighter to Shinji's arm, playing up the 'frightened-and-  
defenseless girl' act. He put an arm around her and they laughed and   
yelled as the limo went through a series of dips and turns in the road.   
  
Finally they fell back inside in a tangle of arms legs and giggles.   
Once she managed to dislodge herself from him, Hikari leaned in and   
kissed Shinji deeply on the lips. They settled back into the seat and he   
reached up and brushed a lock of hair from her face.  
  
"Thank you," He said softly-- practically whispering in her ear.  
  
"For what?" she asked.  
  
"For giving me a chance, for helping me through all of this, for   
being there for me... for being you. I don't know if I could have made it   
this far without you."  
  
"Shinji...." she looked at him and her vision blurred as the tears tried   
to come. Pulling him close, she held him tightly while fighting back a   
wave of tears. How could she have doubted him?  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
As they looked out at the bay from the observation center Hikari   
started to giggle.  
  
"What?" Shinji asked, trying not to be swept up in the addictive   
nature of Hikari's gigglefits, "what is it?"  
  
"Just me being stupid," She replied, "I misheard someone and... Oh   
its silly."  
  
"Must be pretty funny, it made you snort," He said as he ducked a   
smack to the head.  
  
"I did _not_," she said with a laugh, "but no, it was just something I   
overhear Asuka telling Ichigo the other day... it actually had me   
believing you had kissed her for awhile there."  
  
She started snickering again at how silly she'd behaved over the   
whole thing, but when she calmed down a bit, she realized that Shinji   
had suddenly stiffened up, and had a stunned expression on his face.   
  
'Do _not_ jump to conclusions' she admonished herself as a nugget   
of fear crept up in her gut. There might be any number of reasons why   
he had just frozen up and was looking afraid.   
  
"Asuka was probably just making stuff up," Hikari said hopefully,   
but despite her hopes, Shinji's reaction was scaring her.  
  
"Um... she does make up stories sometimes," Shinji said in a small   
voice.  
  
'Oh no, please no...' Hikari prayed as all her earlier doubts and   
fears came back in full force.  
  
"Shinji... did you and Asuka-"  
  
"No!" he said suddenly, cutting her off in a panic, "nothing   
happened at all."  
  
Hikari wanted to believe him more than anything, but it was   
painfully obvious that whatever had happened he felt guilty over it. She   
realized suddenly that Shinji had never tried to lie to her before, she   
didn't even think he had a reason to do so, until now. Apparently he had   
no talent for lying, because his attempts to do so were entirely   
unconvincing. And it was breaking her heart.  
  
"I didn't kiss her," Shinji said, a pleading look growing in his face,   
"I didn't!"  
  
"Then she kissed you?" Hikari accused as she started to cry.  
  
"Yes-- I mean no-- I mean..." he trailed off as he suddenly realized   
that he'd admitted it.  
  
Hikari's eyes went wide and her breath caught in her throat. She   
looked at Shinji as he stood there looking down-- his hair falling over   
his eyes, and she tried to will herself to slap him, to scream at him-- to   
do something! But she couldn't do it.  
  
"Take me home Shinji," she said softly as she turned and walked   
away.   
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
They didn't say anything for the rest ride back, in fact Shinji was   
too afraid to speak. He didn't really understand just how it had   
happened but there was a cold wall between the two of them as they sat   
on opposite sides of the limo. He would occasionally glance up at   
Hikari, but she would be looking out the window or at the floorboard.   
  
He wanted disparately to find something he could say that would   
make it all right, but he didn't have the slightest clue what that might   
be.   
  
He had kissed Asuka.   
  
She might have initiated it, but he had returned the kiss, there was   
no getting around it, and nothing he could think of that would make   
that glaring fact go away. He didn't know what he could do, he couldn't   
find the answer, and every time he opened his mouth it just got worse.   
  
When they had first got in to the limo he had tried, and failed   
miserably.   
  
"It was just a kiss, and I didn't even start it," had been his pathetic   
excuse, and now he wanted to slap himself for saying it. He even   
wanted Hikari to slap him for it, but she just sat there with tears   
streaming down her face... and there wasn't a damn thing he could do   
about it.  
  
It kept going round and round in his head, the kiss, and what he   
had been thinking at the time, which had been very little. Even worse   
he hadn't thought of Hikari until Asuka had mentioned her a few   
seconds afterwards. He'd wanted to forget that little incident-- to brush   
it from existence by ignoring it. That obviously hadn't worked.   
  
And now because of that stupid mistake, he realized he was about to   
loose the single good thing that had ever happened to him.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
As she got out of the limo Shinji tried to speak up but she stopped   
him with a glare. He froze in place as she looked down at him and   
wiped her eyes.  
  
"Don't say a word Shinji, don't say anything at all."  
  
"Hikari...."  
  
"I don't want to hear it!" she shouted," don't say anything else-- just   
don't! I don't want to talk to you right now, just leave me alone." with   
that she turned and walked up the steps to her house, leaving Shinji   
alone in the limo, with tears streaming down his face.  
  
"I'm sorry... please..." he whispered as she walked away from him.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"So where's Superboy?" Asuka asked as she sat down at the table   
the next day and stared unhappily at the burnt rice Misato had   
apparently cooked, "Isn't it his turn to cook?"  
  
Misato frowned and looked into the living room. There was no   
light from the hall.   
  
"I think he might still be asleep," Misato said as she shoveled a   
mouthful of instant rice into her mouth, "although how he could sleep   
with you screaming about the hot water I have no idea."  
  
"Oh? You really want to get into _another_ cheepshot match?"   
Asuka asked with a smirk, "all I have to do is bring up Kaji and you   
freak out. Its not like there's much of a challenge."  
  
"Never mind" Misato said with a sigh, "I'll go check on him."  
  
A few moments later she knocked on Shinji's door and announced   
that she was about to open up. When she did step in, she realized two   
things. First the lights were out, and Shinji was still in his clothes from   
the previous night's date, and second was that his eyes were open.   
  
Had his chest not been rising and falling with steady breaths, and   
not for the occasional blink of his bloodshot eyes, Misato would have   
thought him dead. He didn't respond when she walked over and sat   
down on the chair beside his bed.  
  
"Shinji?" she asked, the worry evident in her voice, "are you   
alright?"  
  
"don't think I can go to school today," he said--his voice barely   
audible, "let Asuka know so she wont forget her lunch."  
  
"What's wrong, are you sick? Did something happen last night?"   
Misato pleaded, a thousand horrible possibilities running through her   
mind.  
  
"I... I can't talk about it right now Misato, I just need to be alone   
for awhile," he said, finally turning to look at her, "please?"  
  
"Alright Shinji, but only if you promise to tell me what's wrong   
later on."  
  
"Okay."  
  
She stood and walked out, giving him one last glance before she   
shut his door again. As she walked back into the kitchen where Asuka   
was checking her hair in a compact, the German looked up.  
  
"So is Superboy still breathing, or did Hikari kill him?"  
  
"He's feeling a little sick, probably ate something that didn't agree   
with him," Misato said, "he suggested that you grab something for   
lunch before you go."  
  
"Hmm your so-called cooking, or boxed lunches at school, talk   
about damned if you do and damned if you don't!"  
  
"Oh get going before I rub some of this so-called cooking in your   
hair." Misato said sweetly.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"And that's what happened," Shinji told Misato as they walked   
into Nerv HQ parking garage after the evening's synch test.  
  
"No offence Shinji but you screwed this up pretty bad."  
  
"Believe me, I know," he said softly, "I just don't know what to do.   
I don't think anything I do or say could make up for it, in fact I think   
the only way this could have been worse is if I had slept with Asuka   
instead of just kissing her."  
  
"Personally I'm surprised she even let you touch her, much less   
tripped you into a liplock," Misato said as she shook her head in   
wonder, "but as far as Hikari goes the best thing is to just give her time   
to think, and then apologize. If she still wont take you back after you   
honestly and _fully_ admit you were wrong, and that you are sorry,   
then... I don't know. Just give it time though Shinji, this is a messed up   
situation and there is no quick way to fix it."  
  
"Thank you Misato" he said, "I don't know why I let all this   
happen... I'm sorry to trouble you with all of it."  
  
"Don't sweat it Shinji, to be honest things get so dull when the   
Angels aren't attacking that I'm actually glad for the distraction-- not to   
say that this isn't important. But we're kinda starved for gossip up on   
the bridge"  
  
"I see" he said, trying not to smile as he pictured Misato and the   
others gossiping with his father sitting a few dozen feet above.  
  
"So did you look at the synch test?" Misato asked as they got into   
her car.  
  
"No, how was my test score?"  
  
"You're almost even with Asuka now, a little more and you'll be   
number one."  
  
"I don't know if that's such a great thing," he said with a frown,   
"she wasn't happy that I was catching up last time, I don't think she'd be   
very happy if I started scoring better than her."  
  
"This isn't a competition despite Ritsuko's crazy notions that it is...   
She really needs to stop listening to that American from the second   
branch."  
  
"I guess, but I don't think it would make much difference... with   
Asuka _everything_ is a competition."  
  
"Maybe, but that's no reason to encourage her."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
When Shinji stepped out of the shower that night he found Asuka   
standing in his way.   
  
"OK Third Child, just what the _hell_ did you do to Hikari?" She   
demanded with embers blazing in her eyes. He frowned and shook his   
head. Typical that she would blame him and not realize that it was also   
her fault. Nevertheless he was worried that something had happened   
and asked what she meant.  
  
"Hikari called in sick at school today, and she _never_ calls in sick.   
That place you two went to last night is the best restaurant in the city   
and there is no way it was food poisoning. What did you do?"  
  
"Why does it have to be something _I_ did?" he asked as he looked   
away from the redhead.  
  
"Well who else could it be? Obviously it isn't Kensuke, now   
_spill_!"  
  
"Lets just say that it was something _we_ did," he told Asuka   
bitterly as he pushed past her and went to his room. As he shut his door   
he heard a sharp whisper drift through the house.  
  
"Oh shiest!"  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Come on Hikari, you got to come out sometime," Nozomi insisted   
from her sister's doorway, "you cant keep eating in your room, and if   
you miss any more school you'll lose your job as class rep!"  
  
"I don't care," was the muffled reply.  
  
"Hikari, please, you got to at least tell me what's wrong!"  
  
"Go away Nozomi, I don't want to talk to anyone." Hikari said   
from her room, "just leave me alone!"  
  
Nozomi had to fight the urge to kick her sitter's door. She had seen   
Kodama go through this and it hadn't been pretty either. That time had   
been when the older Horaki sister had missed out on a chance to go out   
with a guy she'd had a crush on for five years. The resulting depression   
had lasted almost a week, but that had been nothing compared to this.   
  
She had overheard Kodama chewing out the guy that Hikari had   
fixed up with Asuka, and she knew that the date between them had   
gone badly, and now her sister's date had apparently been botched   
somehow. Nozomi knew that she was smarter than most of the kids her   
age. Sometimes she could be smarter than her sisters, and there had   
been rare occurrences when she had beaten her father at strategy   
games, but she didn't have a clue how to help her sister if the older girl   
refused to talk to her.   
  
As she sat down in the living room and frowned, she decided that   
she would talk to Shinji as soon as possible and find out what the hell   
had happened on their date.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
It appeared out of nowhere and started hovering in the center of   
town. It was hundreds of feet wide and spherical with strange patterns   
covering it. Until it started moving, Nerv's detection equipment never   
even detected it and as they scrambled to get the city's population to   
the shelters, Shinji, Rei, and Asuka were sent out in the Evangelions.   
  
"That's all we know about it," Misato told them over the inter-linked   
communications system as she completed her briefing, "so I want the   
three of you to approach it cautiously and observe its reaction. If at all   
possible try to lead it out of the city. Asuka I want you to take point, the   
rest of you back her up."  
  
"You got it," Asuka said with a feral grin.  
  
"Be careful, all of you," Misato told them as she signed off.  
  
Asuka had them spread out and flank the sphere, and one by one   
they tried to get its attention. Stepping into plain view didn't work.   
Waving at it didn't work. It just continued to float around above the   
city. Finally Asuka decided it was time to try a direct approach.   
  
"Shinji, I want you to take up a sniper position over in C block.   
Rei, you grab the positron rifle in case we need some serious   
firepower."  
  
"What are you going to do?" Shinji asked.  
  
Asuka grinned again and Shinji flinched at the girl's violent   
enthusiasm, "I'm going to try out this new progressive ax."  
  
They scrambled to comply, and Asuka climbed a nearby building,   
placing herself even with the huge sphere. Once the other two were in   
position, She checked her radar, and jumped at the Angel. However, as   
she made the downward swing with the Smash Hook, the angel totally   
disappeared. Her Eva was sent tumbling off balance and she crashed   
into a building upside-down.   
  
Shaking off her disorientation, she tried to right herself. It wasn't   
until seconds later that she heard the external pickups relaying the   
rapid-fire thundering of the Palette gun.   
  
"Shinji! Report!" She screamed, as Misato demanded an update as   
well. Switching on her interlink, she saw Shinji looking up, then down   
as he screamed for help. Even more worrisome was the odd static that   
was coming through on the holographic display.   
  
As she got her Eva to its feet, she managed to just catch a view of   
the Angel hovering over C block where Shinji had been positioned.   
  
Rei was actually shouting Shinji's name as she opened fire on the   
Angel, but it was too late, his interlink was dead. Furious at the Angel   
for whatever it had done to her team mate, Asuka climbed on top of the   
nearest building to get a better view, and once she did-- she let out a   
gasp of shock. The buildings-- the city was sinking into the Angel's   
Shadow. To make maters stranger the shadow was now in D block, and   
there was an odd empty gap where C block had been a few moments   
before.  
  
"Why didn't his damn plug eject?" Asuka demanded.  
  
"Its no use," Maya told them from the command center, "we can't   
get a response!"  
  
"Get him out of there Rei!" Asuka ordered as she raced to help   
out.  
  
"Belay that," came a grim voice, and for a moment Asuka thought   
it was commander Ikari-- however she suddenly realized that it had   
been Misato.   
  
"What are you talking about?" Asuka demanded, "Shinji's in   
there-- we cant just-"  
  
"This is an order Asuka, until we know what we're dealing with   
we can't risk it."  
  
"But major--"  
  
"That's _enough_ Asu.... Rei?" Misato hadn't been expecting that   
at all, and it took her a moment to recover from the emotional pleading   
in the pale girl's voice.  
  
"I'm sorry... but we don't have a choice for now..."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]   
  
  
Shinji wasn't sure where he was. The last thing he remembered was   
falling asleep in the entry plug of Unit One. He figured he was   
dreaming because he didn't know how else he could have ended up on a   
train.  
  
Sitting across from him was a younger kid. He would have said   
something to the kid by now, but he was more than a little creeped out   
by him. The boy looked just like he had a few years ago, and stranger   
yet-- was sitting with his hair hiding his eyes. It was something Shinji   
himself did when he was frightened or nervous-- he felt in his minds   
that it hid him in the same way that it his view.  
  
"Who are you?" he finally asked.  
  
"I am Shinji Ikari," the boy said.  
  
"I don't understand, I'm Shinji Ikari, how could you..."  
  
"It is because I _am_ you. This self incorporates another self within.   
The 'self' has in fact always consisted of two selves."  
  
"Two selves?"  
  
"Yes, there is the self who observes, and the self who is observed   
by others. To expound-- there is the Shinji Ikari in your mind, which is   
myself. There is also Shinji Ikari in Misato Katsuragi's mind, the Shinji   
Ikari in Asuka Soyru's mind, the Shinji Ikari in Rei Ayanami's mind,   
the Shinji Ikari In Gendou Ikari's mind and the Shinji Ikari in Hikari   
Horaki's mind. Each of these Shinji Ikaris' are different, as the minds   
they exist in are different, but each is in fact a true Shinji Ikari. That   
which you fear, have always feared and still fear is the Shinji Ikari in   
the minds of others."  
  
"I'm just afraid of being hated, "Shinji said to the boy defensively"  
  
"You fear being hurt."  
  
"Is that wrong?" Shinji asked  
  
"Only to an extent. Fear of pain, whether emotional or physical is a   
natural thing. It is when we can not face even a shadow of that fear that   
it becomes an overwhelming problem. For example-- why do you   
continue to make excuses not to take swimming lessons?"  
  
"I..."  
  
"You fear the water, you fear drowning and you allow this fear to   
rule you. You fear being alone, and this brings difficulty. You deceive   
yourself by saying that you don't talk to people because you fear   
rejection-- that they will leave you alone as some have in the past. Yet   
if you do not speak to others you will always remain alone."  
  
"But I talk to people, I talk to Kensuke, and Touji and Rei..."  
  
"And Hikari?"  
  
"I want to, but she won't speak to me."  
  
"And have you spoken to these other since that night?"  
  
"No..."  
  
"You have been lying to yourself Shinji Ikari. Because one person   
leaves you does not mean everyone will leave you. Because one person   
leaves you does not mean that they are never coming back."  
  
"But it hurts so much sometimes..."  
  
"Yes it does, but enduring pain sometimes brings things that are   
worthwhile. Had you not stayed, had you run away when the chance   
was offered, you would never have had the chance you did with Hikari.   
You would never have enjoyed her affection. You chose to stay and   
Pilot Eva, do you think her company-- even if you can no longer enjoy   
it-- was worth this choice?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Do you agree that some things are worth fighting for?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then some goals are worth the pain suffered to reach them?"  
  
"Yes"  
  
"Do you love her?"  
  
"...Yes. I do."  
  
"Then don't give in without a fight."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Asuka knew she didn't have much time, but she had something to   
say and it couldn't wait. Any battle with an angel might be the last, and   
she didn't want to die without at least letting Hikari know she was   
sorry.  
  
It took a couple of calls and promising to pick up Misato's dry-  
cleaning for a month, but finally she found the shelter where Hikari   
Horaki was. The Section Two agent led her through the crowd to where   
Hikari and her sisters were sitting. When she stepped up to her friend,   
Hikari looked op at her, then back to the floor.   
  
"What do you want Asuka?"  
  
"I want to know what the hell is wrong with you and Shinji."  
  
"It's none of your business," Hikari said coldly.  
  
"Damnit Hikari, this is my business, I don't care if you two break   
up, get married, or fly to the moon, but I don't want any of it to happen   
because of me."  
  
"I'm sorry then."  
  
"hmph, well I guess if you wanna be snotty with me then you're   
entitled... but at least cuss Shinji out, break up with him, and get it over   
with! We don't need a pilot as screwed up as he could get if you drag   
this out."  
  
"Its more complicated than that."  
  
"Oh? Do tell."  
  
"I want to forgive him Asuka...But because he tried to lie about it I   
can't do that right now. I think I could have forgiven it if he'd just   
admitted it, but he lied to my face. That's a lot harder to forgive."  
  
"I see..." Asuka said with a nod of understanding. She would have   
said more, but the spook tapped her on the shoulder then and she   
realized it was time to go. She turned to say goodbye to Hikari, but the   
girl had disappeared.   
  
Asuka sighed, she'd missed her chance to apologize.  
  
"Well... damn."  
  
  
[]====[]   
[]====[]  
  
  
"The energy reserves are almost at their limit," Misato said grimly   
from her chair. She was furious at Ritsuko, at Gendou Ikari and Nerv in   
general. The plan if you could call it that, to save Shinji was more   
likely to kill the poor kid, and there wasn't a damn thing she could do.   
She wondered if this was what he'd felt like when Hikari refused to talk   
to him...  
  
"Life support is in the red," Maya added from her console  
  
"We'll advance the schedule by twelve minutes... with any luck the   
kid will still be alive."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
He'd woken up back in the plug, and immediately wished he   
hadn't. The cold was all encompassing, and his Plugsuits energy was   
too low to keep him warm any longer. The LCL filters had given out   
sometime while he'd slept and the liquid was becoming more and more   
difficult to breathe.  
  
He knew he was going to die soon.   
  
'The oxygen circulation's stopped and the suit is about to give out...'   
he thought, 'I always knew that Eva might kill me, but I never thought   
it would be like this. I wish I'd at least been able to tell Hikari I was   
sorry...'  
  
Slowly, everything grew dimmer and dimmer until he was   
surrounded by darkness. Just as the last thin shred of consciousness fled   
from him, he felt a warmth envelope him. Confused by the sudden   
change, he opened his eyes and found himself sailing through a sea of   
stars, wrapped in someone's arms. As he looked around in shock, he   
realized the person holding him was... familiar.  
  
"Mother?" he asked in wonder.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
They did not know if it was going to work, but according to Doctor   
Akagi it was the only real chance they had. As Units Two and Zero   
stood in preparation to unfold their AT fields, over a hundred aircraft   
were circling overhead. Each craft carried a Non Nuclear mine-- each   
capable of the destructive power of an atomic blast. In less than a   
minute, they would begin dropping the bombs into the Angel's   
Shadow, which for reasons that Rei Ayanami only instinctually   
understood was actually the body of the Angel.   
  
If the plan worked, Unit One would be forcibly expelled from   
the Dirac Sea that had swallowed it, and with luck, Shinji Ikari would   
still be alive.   
  
It was strange to her that his predicament had occupied so much of   
her mind in the past few hours. Stranger still that Pilot Soyru's ranting   
about his skills-- or in her opinion, lack thereof-- had angered her.   
Anger was unfamiliar to her, and it worried her. Her purpose might be   
jeopardized if this wild emotion overwhelmed her. If she lost control   
then she would be disposed of and the third would be awakened. It was   
a process that she did not anticipate fondly. In fact-- she feared it. Fear   
was not as new to her as anger, but it bothered her almost as much. She   
had seen fear overwhelm Pilot Ikari to the point where he had been   
unable to respond quickly enough-- resulting in his current   
predicament. Emotions were enjoyable, and she was glad to experience   
them when she could, but she recognized the danger therein.   
  
As the time ticked down to the zero hour, she wondered what   
love was like.  
  
She did not have long to ponder this however, because thirty   
seconds before the bombs were to be dropped, the earth began to   
quake.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
For Misato Katsuragi, the horror of what she witnessed that day   
was overwhelmed by the pride she felt for Shinji. When the ground   
began to shake and the Angel's 'Shadow' in the sky began to shimmer   
she knew in her heart that he was making his escape. Despite Ritsuko's   
insistence that what was happening was impossible, she knew it was   
Shinji.   
  
For Asuka Langley Soryu, the grandeur was overwhelmed by the   
horror. Unit One's escape from the Angel was so revolting that she   
couldn't bear to look away. As the angel's shadow above turned gray, a   
fist erupted from its side, sending out a fountain spray of blood that   
would fill a small lake. The hole made was soon a splitting crack, and   
soon she saw the horrifying head and shoulders of Evangelion Unit one   
emerging from the Angel's dying body. As the beast let loose with a   
roar that sounded part mechanical, and part living creature, she could   
only think one thing.  
  
"Mine Gott in Himel... is _that_ what I'm piloting?"  
  
For Rei Ayanami the fear was washed away in a sense of relief for   
Pilot Ikari. Whatever the reasons behind it's reactivation, Unit One was   
Free, and her purpose was still intact, but even this wasn't as satisfying   
as knowing that Ikari was still alive... as Unit One fell to earth in a   
ground shaking impact, she wondered why this was so.   
  
For Ritsuko Akagi, everything else was overwhelmed by a sense of   
fear and dread. Unit one should _not_ have been able to reactivate like   
that without power, and if it's core was that active then it meant one of   
two things. Either the beast within the Eva was closer to the surface   
than they had believed, and they had less control than they thought, or   
Ikari had lied to here about what had really happened in 2004. Either   
way, it would disrupt Seele's timetable. As Unit one stood, covered in   
the Angels gore, she shuddered and wondered aloud,  
  
"Dear God in Heaven... What kind of _monster_ have we made   
this from?"  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
As the LCL drained and fresh air reached his lungs, Shinji tried not   
to retch from the sensation. Whatever LCL was, in small amounts it   
was absorbed into the walls of his lungs. This didn't make the vomiting   
up of the larger amounts any more pleasant or the first few breaths of   
air once his lungs were clear. He leaned back in the chair and tried to   
relax. He wasn't sure what had just happened. It was like his first fight,   
and the memories were fading from his mind rapidly. He did feel   
somehow that his mother was proud of him-- although he didn't   
understand why.  
  
Just before he passed out again, the hatch opened and Misato   
practically flew into the entry plug, her eyes streaked with tears.   
  
"Shinji! Are you ok?" she cried as she held him tightly.  
  
His grip on consciousness was fading fast, but he just barely had   
the strength to reply.  
  
"I couldn't go... without telling her I was sorry."  
  
  
[]====================[]  
To be continued...  
[]====================[]  
  
Author's incoherent babbling  
  
  
Ahhh, part two and the reason for the Book's title ^_^  
  
Those of you from the EFML know where this is going, but for the   
rest of you.... BWAA HAHAHAHAHA you're just gonna have to wait   
^_^  
  
And just for the record, yes I am crazy ^_^  
  
Lot of Email lately asking why I haven't posted chapters faster...   
well thing is that between work, my personal life, and the madness that   
is my family-- I get little time to work on TWS at home. The reason   
y'all on the EFML are getting new projects is that I do those on my   
ancient laptop at work-- which is too old to take documents from my   
desktop at home. I promise that I'll try to keep posting at least a chapter   
a month, but its not easy, and I appologise in advance if things get too   
out of wack and I cant keep up the pace.   
  
Funny thing about ACCs, the names I used were ones from   
another fic I'm working on. Its an El Hazard fic I'm calling Days of   
Thunder (and no it does _not_ star Tom and Nicole) the main   
characters Yume, Ichigo, and Denki specifically are the ones. FYI,   
Yume means 'dream' Ichigo means 'strawberry' and Denki means   
'electricity'. Have I mentioned that I love it when names do that? Have   
I mentioned the term shameless plug? ^_^ expect it to start appearing   
when TWS is all done. The early notes on it are done and I've got the   
plot almost fleshed out.  
  
Btw, extra points to anyone who can guess what the game Kensuke   
and Touji have been playing at the entertainment center is. ^_^   
  
Anyway, that's all for now.   
  
Hotwire   
Chain Lightning Studios  
http://www.chainlightningstudios.com  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. 

  
  
  
Chain Lightning Studios Presents  
Together We Stand Book Two:  
Divided We Fall  
By T. L. Webb  
  
  
Don't look so frightened,  
This is just a passing phase  
One of my turns  
Pink Floyd, The Wall  
  
  
[]=======================[]  
Book Two: Part Three  
[]=======================[]  
  
  
Normally the students of Tokyo Three junior high school were not   
allowed to use their laptops for Internet access. This privilege had been   
given and taken away dozens of times during the year until finally the   
faculty decided to restrict it to class projects only. Kensuke knew all of   
this this, but he'd hacked an outside line anyway. Over the past few   
months he had been slowly drawn more and more into the chatroom   
culture, and through that, the hacker culture. This had not only   
improved his skills at writing and decrypting programs, but had gained   
him a girlfriend of sorts. He didn't even know her real name-- only that   
she was about his age, involved in a research and development team for   
the JSSDF, and really, really seemed to like him a lot.   
  
He had always heard of chatroom addiction, but until it had   
happened to him he hadn't given it much thought. Now he couldn't go a   
day without talking to the girl he knew only as TetsuShojo without   
getting anxious. He was finding himself checking his watch constantly   
and counting down the minutes until he could get online again. He'd   
even gone nearly two days without sleep one week because he had   
spent every spare moment at his computer.   
  
He had finally gotten it all under control, and now he was sleeping   
again, but he still spent most of his time thinking about the girl, and   
how much he liked talking to her. To that end he was now breaking a   
half dozen rules to talk with her at school.  
  
[TetsuShojo] So, they didn't show up today either?  
  
[TheMechSage] well I think I just saw Shinji walking in with   
Asuka, so at least he'll be here today... I'm glad too. If nothing else,   
now I can find out what's going on around here. BUT, Hikari hasn't   
shown up yet, and she's usually one of the first ones in the door. The   
whole thing's just weird.  
  
[TetsuShojo] I hope it all works out Ken-- they both sound like   
good people.  
  
[TheMechSage] The best. Shinji can be kinda self-contained   
sometimes, but once he opens up he's one of the nicest people I've ever   
met... the trick is looking under the surface. And Hikari is just plain   
sweet. She makes lunches for us sometimes, and I could swear the stuff   
is better than most restaurants I've been to.   
  
[TetsuShojo] Hey, I gotta run-- we have a training class and I'm   
late already. Thanks for the poem by the way, it was cute.  
  
[TheMechSage] anytime ^_^ and have a good day... I'll talk to you   
tonight.  
  
[TetsuShojo] later.  
  
Kensuke signed off just as Shinji walked into the classroom looking   
miserable. When he saw Kensuke however, he did manage a weak   
smile as he walked over to his friend.  
  
"Welcome back Shinji," Kensuke said as his friend slumped into   
his seat, "we were getting worried when you didn't show for three   
days."  
  
"I was just out for one, technically," Shinji answered in a distant   
voice, "they had me at the medical facilities under observation for the   
rest of the time."  
  
"Did you get hurt in the attack?"  
  
"No, but they thought it might have done something to my mind.   
Misato is giving a debriefing to let them know I'm OK right now   
actually."  
  
"What about the other day then?"  
  
"I'll tell you at lunch Kensuke, it's a long story," Shinji told him as   
Yume, who filling in at Hikari's class Rep duties, started giving   
instructions.   
  
Kensuke adjusted his glasses and frowned. Something was most   
definitely afoot.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"You _what_?" Touji shouted.  
  
"Shinji," Kensuke added with equal-- but less vocal-- shock, "tell   
me that you're kidding... please!"  
  
"I wish I could," Shinji said as he sat back against the guardrail   
and hung his head, "but I can't change what happened... I know that   
very well now."  
  
"Just wait a second here," Kensuke said as he rubbed his forehead,   
"lets put the fact that you kissed Asuka-- and I want to note for the   
record how repulsive the concept is to me-- aside for the moment. What   
happened on your date, and why does this have anything to do with it?"  
  
"Don't be such an idiot Kensuke," Touji said from where he   
stood--looking away from Shinji, "Hikari obviously found out about it."  
  
"Is that what happened Shinji?" Kensuke asked  
  
"That is part of it, but I don't think that's why she's as angry with   
me as she is."  
  
"So what is it then?" Kensuke wanted to know.  
  
"I tried to lie about it."  
  
"Why in the hell did you do that?"   
  
"I was scared... that if she knew what happened she would be   
angry. Kind of stupid of me in hindsight."  
  
"Well, most times people don't use what is ironically called   
'common sense'," Kensuke said sadly, "but that is a pretty dumb   
mistake."  
  
"What would you have done?" Shinji said, suddenly angry, "How   
do you explain something like that? You just can't!"  
  
"Why didn't you push Asuka away when she kissed you in the first   
place?" Touji asked.  
  
"Its... hard to explain."  
  
"Try," Touji growled--showing just how angry he really was, "try   
hard."  
  
"Well for one thing... she is pretty, and don't try to deny it, I know   
you two made a mint selling pictures of her when she first got here. For   
another thing, and you might have a hard time believing this, but   
sometimes... when she lets that damn wall down she can be... kind of   
nice."  
  
"You're right," Kensuke said, "we don't believe you... but keep   
going."  
  
"Well the thing is that she did just that-- she let her wall down. And   
there she is suddenly kissing me. Part of my mind shut down right then   
and there, I couldn't move for a second, but then..."  
  
Shinji trailed off and sighed.   
  
"Well?" Kensuke urged, "what happened?"  
  
"Have either of you ever felt like there was no one on the planet   
who gave a damn if you lived or died?"  
  
Kensuke and Touji shook their heads.  
  
"Before I came here, before I met all of you... before I met Hikari, I   
felt like that. I was so hollow back then... then I suddenly had   
something like a family, and I had friends for the first time since I was   
a little kid. I guess I kind of got drunk on it. I can't think of a better way   
to describe it-- I got drunk and addicted to the affection from other   
people. When Asuka kissed me I wasn't thinking about how annoying   
she was, how much it might hurt Hikari, or if it was even a smart thing   
to do. All I could think about was that Asuka Langley Soryu didn't hate   
me. She actually didn't hate me and was kissing me. I got so swept up   
in it that it wasn't until after the kiss that I realized what had happened."  
  
Kensuke and Touji sat there and stared at Shinji for awhile, and he   
couldn't read their expressions in the least. Finally the bell rang and it   
was time to go back to class.  
  
"Look guys," Shinji told them as they gathered their trash, "I know   
you must hate me for what happened, and I don't blame you, but I want   
you to know I regret what I did. Not just because it screwed things up,   
but because it was an insult to Hikari. I should have thought of what it   
would do to her the _moment_ Asuka tried that. I don't expect you two   
to forgive me, but I am sorry."  
  
They didn't say anything, but something in the way the two nodded   
at him let Shinji know that they forgave him... at least a little.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
In the command and control center of Central Dogma, alarms were   
going off left and right. The tech's and scientists were in a mad   
scramble to discover the source of the alarm. When the satellite in geo-  
synchronous orbit with the Second American Branch of Nerv finally   
came back online, the entire bridge crew let out a collective gasp.   
  
Miles and miles of Nevada desert that until moments ago had   
surrounded the underground instillation were gone. Leaving in their   
place a glowing crater. The destruction was odd, because there was no   
actual damage to the surrounding area. It had not been an explosion.  
  
Which brought up the interesting question... just what had   
happened to Nerv's Second American Branch?  
  
"The actual cause for the disaster is still under investigation,"   
Ritsuko said several hours later as she briefed the bridge crew on the   
situation, "but this is what we were able to recover from the satellite   
before it drifted too far out of orbit and began to burn."  
  
As Maya counted down the seconds, a red haze surrounded the   
second branch and quickly began to spread outward till the shockwave   
reached the satellite and the picture was lost. Moments later a fresh   
image from another satellite that had been called to replace it flashed   
on the screen, showing a hollow crater that was eighty nine kilometers   
in radius.  
  
There wasn't much to say... although a collective gasp was released   
from those who hadn't seen the footage previously.  
  
"The facility, Evangelion Unit Four and all installations within the--   
well we're calling it the blast zone for now-- have ceased to exist. No   
trace has been detected in either the remaining debris or in the   
atmosphere surrounding."  
  
"Including thousands of people," Ritsuko added bitterly.  
  
"From the last time table we received from Captain Wright,"   
Shigeru noted, "the accident seems to have occurred during the early   
stages of the S2 engine's instillation in Unit Four."  
  
"The possible causes for the incident range from inadequate quality   
of material in the engines construction to a flaw in its original design,"   
Maya read from her chart, "and that's only two of the thirty-two   
thousand seven hundred and sixty eight possible causes."  
  
"Then it could have been sabotage?" Misato asked.  
  
"But it wasn't an explosion," Makoto put in, "it was more like an   
implosion. The base didn't blow up... it just disappeared."  
  
"In all likelihood it was swallowed by a sea of Dirac, similar to   
the one displayed by the last Angel."  
  
"Then the S2 engine..." Misato said, suddenly realizing what it   
meant to the project as a whole.  
  
"Gone." Ritsuko finished for her, "along with our hopes."  
  
"Damnit," Misato said bitterly, "why are we continually forced to   
use things we don't understand?"  
  
As her friend and former roommate turned to leave the briefing   
room Ritsuko frowned,  
  
'You're more right than you know Misato,' she thought, 'I thought I   
understood the Evas... but now I'm starting to wonder... starting to   
wonder if I'm any more or less a pawn than the Commander of the   
Second Branch.'  
  
A few minutes later in her office she and Misato were discussing   
some of the more interesting developments that had resulted from the   
day's disaster.  
  
"Then when are they going to send us the damn thing?" Misato   
sighed.  
  
"Probably in a day or two, the US administration seems to have   
suddenly developed an allergy to all things Eva and is ordering the   
immediate dismissal of the first branch."  
  
"Figures," Misato said with a sharp laugh, "they bully their way   
into Project E demanding that they build Units Three and Four, and   
now that something goes wrong they push it all off onto us. Those   
arrogant bastards are really pressing their luck."  
  
"Give them some credit, they lost an amount of land that was larger   
than some of their states... That would make anyone nervous."  
  
"Ok, I'll buy that... so how will we proceed with the activation   
test? Will we use Rei?"  
  
"We'll cross that bridge when we arrive at it."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Shinji had been dreading this, but he couldn't put it off much   
longer. As he looked at the doorbell he tried to think of an excuse, any   
excuse to put this off a bit longer. He knew it hadn't been more than a   
week, but he felt he had to at least say something. Hikari wouldn't   
return his calls, and except for Nozomi no one would even answer the   
phone. As he reached out and pressed the button, he took deep breaths   
and tried to keep calm. It wasn't easy.  
  
After what felt like an eternity, the door opened and Shinji was   
face to face with Kodama. The look in her eyes immediately told Shinji   
that he wasn't going to enjoy the next few moments.  
  
"What do you want?" she demanded as she crossed her arms and   
glared at him.  
  
Shinji swallowed and answered, "I need to speak with Hikari..."  
  
"She doesn't want to speak with you Shinji, I'd just go home if I   
were you."  
  
"Kodoma... Please, I know I screwed up, but I need to at least let   
her know I'm sorry."  
  
"What did I tell you at the springs Shinji?"  
  
Shinji bowed is head in shame. He had no rejoinder to that, nothing   
he could think to say to convince her to let him past. Conceding defeat   
for now, he bid her good evening and made his way down the steps.   
  
Had he looked back he would have seen Hikari looking out at him   
from an upstairs window....   
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"This is the prototype of the dummy plug," Ritsuko said as she   
presented the device, "even with the help of the Magi we don't have the   
capability to duplicate a human's mind and soul. At best this is a fake...   
Think of it as rough pencil sketch compared to the Sistine chapel. In the   
end it is nothing more than a machine."  
  
"It transmits a signal to the Eva," Gendou Ikari countered, "if that   
signal is accepted and the Eva believes itself to be synchronized with a   
pilot then it will be sufficient. Install the data into Unit's one and two."  
  
"I should point out that there are still some minor problems with   
the datastream."  
  
"I do not care, it will suffice for our needs."  
  
"Understood..." Ritsuko said as they made their way to the   
adjoining room where the programming for the dummy plug system   
was still taking place. Below an enormous mechanical and electronic   
recreation of a human brain was a slender tube filled with LCL. Inside   
this tube Rei Ayanami was busy concentrating on her task.   
  
"The transportation of Unit Three is being left entirely to the UN.   
The Eva will arrive this weekend. I leave the planning and execution of   
the operation in your hands."  
  
"Very well," Ritsuko agreed, "we've already found a child who will   
be most suitable, the core data can be prepared almost immediately, and   
I believe we should have no trouble with the recruitment."  
  
"I will leave the details to you," Gendou said as the indicator lights   
signaled the transfer process was done.  
  
"There are a few hours before anything can be done," Ritsuko   
added, "would you care to join me for dinner?"  
  
"You are aware that this is the night I regularly dine with Rei are   
you not?" Gendou asked as he turned to look at her.  
  
"It is alright Commander," came a soft voice from the tube's   
speakers, "I do not mind."  
  
Ever since Ritsuko Akagi had begun her strange relationship with   
Gendou Ikari, she had _never_ seen him looked so surprised... come to   
think of it the only time he had ever shown a stronger emotion had bee   
when Rei's test with Unit Zero had ended in disaster. She wished   
cameras were allowed in Terminal Dogma, the look on his face was   
priceless.  
  
Alas it only remained there for an instant, and he quickly regained   
his composure.   
  
"Very well. Doctor, I will join you in one hour. Have a nice evening   
Rei," he said to the girl as the LCL drained from the tube. As he left,   
and Ritsuko assisted Rei in climbing out of the device, she had to fight   
not to laugh as she remembered that look.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
That afternoon Shinji went out for what started as just a walk. He'd   
only planed to go as far as the park where he had run into Hikari way   
back when he had tried to run away, but somehow he found himself   
riding the light rail into the city. As he passed the theater where he had   
once slept restlessly, he realized that not only had he not been out here   
by himself since that night, but even then he hadn't felt as lost as he did   
right that moment.   
  
Finding an empty bench he sat down and watched the people   
walk past. Some hand in hand, others alone-- all off to do something   
important to them. He had fought again and again against the angels for   
these people, but at the same time he hadn't. He had been fighting   
mostly for the small group of people who he cared for, and for himself.   
It was easier to fight for a person you knew and loved than this faceless   
mass of people who he would never know.   
  
He didn't know what to do. if Hikari wouldn't talk to him then for   
the moment he would have to take everyone's advice and just wait it   
out, but at the same time that felt wrong somehow. If something was   
wrong, shouldn't he at least try to fix it? Was he wrong in looking for a   
way-- no mater how slim the chance of finding it?   
  
He was still going over it in his mind when he saw a familiar face   
pause and look at him.  
  
"Pilot Ikari," Rei Ayanami said, apparently a bit surprised to see   
him.  
  
"Hello Rei," He replied as he stood and walked past a few people   
to where she was, "what brings you out here?"  
  
"Undergarments." she replied simply--raising a shopping bag.  
  
"Um... OK," Shinji said as he took in another of Rei Ayanami's   
overly blunt answers. He was about to let her go when a flash of the   
odd conversation he'd had with 'himself' came back his mind. He hadn't   
spent much time with Rei in general, and he hadn't spoken with her   
outside of work for days now. As she turned to go he walked after her   
and called out.  
  
"Hey R-Rei? If you're done shopping, would you mind if I join   
you for a while?"  
  
She didn't answer, but she nodded and he assumed that was a yes.   
  
"Why were you here?" she asked him as they began to walk down   
the sidewalk together.  
  
"I needed to think," he told her  
  
"How does this place facilitate that?"  
  
"It's not so much the place... I guess I just felt I could think   
clearer if I kept moving. So I did, and after awhile I just ended up   
here."  
  
"Is this the origin of the term 'letting one's thoughts wander'?" she   
asked.  
  
"Could be," he said trying not to smile, "would you like me to   
walk you the rest of the way home?"  
  
"... It is not necessary," she replied quietly, and if he wasn't crazy... a   
bit shyly.  
  
"That wasn't a no..." he pointed out.  
  
"Very well," she said as they continued down the sidewalk.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"I've been meaning to ask, why do you live here Rei?" Shinji   
asked as she opened her door. They had made a couple of stops on the   
way back as nether of them had had dinner and Shinji wasn't exactly   
looking forward to going back to the apartment just yet.  
  
"I do not understand."  
  
"Don't take this the wrong way," he said as he started setting out   
the cooking supplies, "but this isn't exactly a nice neighborhood."  
  
"Should that matter?"  
  
"I don't know, but I would think with our position in Nerv you   
could live in a cleaner neighborhood. Why did you move here   
anyway?"  
  
"I have always lived here," she told him as she set out a folding   
table and chairs.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I have lived in this building since I was a child."  
  
"... All by yourself? That doesn't make sense"  
  
"No, you misunderstand, I lived in a room two floors above with   
Commander Ikari. All the Nerv Staff lived in this section until Tokyo   
Three was completed."  
  
" . . . "  
  
"Did something I say disturb you Pilot Ikari?"  
  
"It's just that... you mean my father raised you?"  
  
"Correct."  
  
"I didn't know that..."  
  
"This disturbs you... why is that?"  
  
"When father left me with my uncle, I was very angry with him.   
But even... even though I suspected that it was because he didn't want   
me, I always tried to tell myself that he didn't take care of me because   
he couldn't. I convinced myself that it was because he had such a busy   
job and just didn't have the time... but Rei," Shinji asked as he bit back   
the tears, "if he had time to raise you... then why did..." he couldn't   
finish, and he excused himself as he stepped into her bathroom,   
choking back the tears.   
  
When he finally had everything under control, he stepped out and   
apologized.  
  
"Do not let it trouble you. I found it... instructional."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I find some emotional outbreaks such as the one you just   
experienced a mystery sometimes. To understand why you were upset   
by the information made understanding that much easier."  
  
"I don't understand what you're saying Rei... but I guess you're   
welcome," Shinji told her as he shook his head, "I think this rice is   
almost ready, are you set up in there?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Ok then, let's eat."  
  
"Yes."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
When Pilot Ikari left a bit later, Rei sat on her bed and thought   
about something she had said to him. After dinner he had offered to   
help clean up her small apartment, and that had surprised her. As they   
picked up the crumpled paper and other trash she had for some reason   
never thought much about, she had been somewhat confused.   
  
She was aware from rumors at school and things said around her   
that he and Miss Horaki were having some type of argument. She did   
not understand in full the nature of their relationship, even after   
spending so much time talking to them as of late. She knew from   
observing Doctor Akagi and Commander Ikari that there were more   
types of relationships than she had yet experienced. She didn't know if   
she would ever understand it all, but for the time being she found it   
utterly fascinating.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Hey Shinji," Kensuke whispered as he walked into the classroom   
the following morning, "get over here, quick!"  
  
Shinji walked over to his friend's desk and sat down beside him.   
Meanwhile Kensuke was so excited that he looked like he was about to   
burst.  
  
"What is it?" Shinji asked.  
  
"I just heard this a few minuets ago, you won't believe it!"  
  
"Calm down Kensuke. What won't I believe?"  
  
"They're sending over another Evangelion!"  
  
Shinji blinked a few times, trying to take that in. A new   
Evangelion. That would mean a new Pilot. That would make thing   
easier on them all, but it also meant more tests, and more things he   
couldn't tell the others.   
  
"How did you hear that?" he asked, "Misato hasn't said anything   
about a new Eva."  
  
"Its kind of an emergency situation. There was some type of   
explosion that took out the Second branch in the US and their first   
Branch is freaking out. They just finished Unit Three and are going to   
send it over by the end if the week."  
  
"Have they found the Fourth Child?" Shinji asked.  
  
"I don't know... but could you do me a favor?"  
  
"Sure, what?"  
  
"Could you put in a good word for me with Major Katsuragi? I   
_really_ want to be an Eva Pilot"  
  
Before Shinji could answer this however, he saw something that   
froze him in place.  
  
Hikari had walked into class.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
To Hikari's relief Shinji had been too surprised to say anything,   
and as she had planed, she had arrived moments before the start of   
class. Yume barely had time to ask her if she wanted to take the reigns   
on the morning duties-- to which she declined. She had too much on   
her mind at the moment to even begin thinking about class rep duties.   
  
She was going to kill Nozomi for talking her into this. She didn't   
want to be here yet; she was still too angry and confused to think   
straight enough for school. She knew Shinji was hurting by just looking   
at him, but she still didn't think she could talk to him... yet   
  
It wasn't a matter of not wanting to talk to him, the problem was   
that she _did_ want to. She wanted to run up, throw her arms around   
him and tell him it was all right... but she was also afraid. She'd never   
really had a lie hurt her like his had, and she was more terrified of   
feeling the way she had that night than anything..   
  
So she sat there and listened to the teacher's morning monologue,   
she deactivated her laptop's chat program.  
  
For the entire morning she could feel his eyes on her as she idly   
typed away at her tests. Was she being fair, she wondered? She knew   
he was sorry for what he had done, she could practically feel his grief   
from where she was sitting. But even so, she wasn't a hundred percent   
sure if he was sorry for doing what he had with Asuka and trying to   
hide it, or if he was devastated because he was being punished. She   
knew she was being stubborn about it, but the part of her that knew this   
was being over ridden by her own stubborn pride, and every time she   
reached down to toggle her chat program, something stopped her.   
  
She knew that she wouldn't be able to keep this up all day, she had   
seen Shinji's eyes when she'd walked in. They had shone with relief   
when she had walked in, and just before he had turned to sit she'd seen   
the hurt register in them.   
  
'Just get it over with Horaki,' she told herself, 'just because you're   
still pissed at him doesn't call for this cold shoulder crap.'  
  
That was the logical part of her mind speaking. The part that   
wanted to drag him through the dirt and embarrass him was trying to   
outspeak it at the moment however. She was almost angry with herself   
for even considering it. She believed that two wrongs did not make a   
right... but at the moment it was hard to live up to that.   
  
She didn't remember any time before when she had felt so   
confused. And as the lunch hour drew closer it grew worse. When it   
finally arrived she decided that she'd at least let Shinji say his piece...   
then at least she wouldn't feel as bad about it. From there on... she'd   
just have to see what happened.  
  
When lunch finally did arrive she stood and turned to look at Shinji,   
who-- just as she had suspected-- was watching her with a half-pleading   
look in his eyes.  
  
She took a breath, released it and was just starting over to his chair   
when a voice came over the public announcement system.   
  
"Hikari Horaki, would you please report to the principle's office,   
immediately."  
  
'Damnit!' she thought as she looked back to Shinji. "I'll talk to you   
after school ok?" she asked him-- the warm, forgiving tone in her voice   
surprising even her.   
  
He nodded in agreement, and she hurried off to the office.   
  
Had either of them known how long it would be before they would   
speak again, they would have likely taken the time to say much more.   
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
From the moment she opened the door, she suspected something   
odd was going on. The principle was in his deck, but he was not alone   
in the room. Standing next to him was Doctor Ritsuko Akagi.   
  
Hikari only knew the woman in passing, she could count the   
number of times they had spoken on one hand, but she did know that   
the doctor was one of the highest-ranking officials in all of Nerv. For   
her to be paying a visit to the school, and asking to see her was, to say   
the least, strange.   
  
"Good afternoon Hikari," Ritsuko said, "please have a seat."  
  
Hikari complied, and as she sat down, the doctor pulled out a set of   
folders and set them on the deck before her. She nodded to the   
Principal, who stood and stepped out of the room. Once they were   
alone, the doctor sat down in his chair and smiled at Hikari.  
  
"I imagine you're wondering why you're here?"  
  
"Yes ma'am," Hikari replied nervously.  
  
"As you are no doubt aware from your admittedly limited   
exposure to Project E, the Pilots of the Evangelions have all been   
around your age. Have you ever wondered why this was the case?"  
  
"Sometimes."  
  
"Well part of the answer lies in genetics. We believe that   
something happened to human DNA as a result of Second Impact. All   
children born after that date-- while I am loath to use this term-- are   
mutations. Not in the sense that there is something wrong with you,   
from almost all tests there is only one detectable difference between   
you and I, and that is a higher chance that your generation has of   
synchronizing with the Evangelions. It varies from child to child, and   
we really only discovered it by chance during a test with Rei Ayanami-  
- or as we sometimes call her-- the First Child."  
  
"Naturally once we discovered this there was a mad scramble to   
test all the children we could and we started with those of Nerv's staff.   
Through that process we found the Second Child-- Asuka. I can't go   
into the entire process now, and I'm sure you are wondering why I'm   
telling you all of this so I will get to the point."  
  
"Evangelion Unit Three is due to arrive from the United States this   
weekend, and data we took during the battle with the Fourth Angel tells   
us that you will be capable of piloting it. You are the Fourth Child,   
Miss Horaki."  
  
Hikari sat in shock as that registered. An Eva Pilot... her.   
  
"Do... do I have to accept?" she asked nervously, "do I have a   
choice?"  
  
"Yes, but to be honest I am surprised you're not excited about the   
prospect. The entire novelty of it aside, it would be a chance to get   
closer to Shinji. I know how hard it must be sometimes to have gaps in   
the things the two of you can talk about and do together."  
  
" . . . "  
  
"Don't misunderstand me, there are other candidates... but you have   
the highest chance of synchronizing with the Eva, and you would make   
the best Pilot out of the group we have to choose from. It is a very   
important decision, however... would you like some time to think it   
over?"  
  
"If I did this..." Hikari said slowly, "I wouldn't have time for my   
school duties."  
  
"True, but on the other hand, you would be doing your country, and   
in fact the world a service to which the debt is incalculable."  
  
"Would the other candidates be in greater danger than I would be?"  
  
"Their synch ratio would be approximately three fourths of what   
your projected rate should be, so I would say the danger they would   
face in battle would be roughly that much more."  
  
Hikari sat there for several moments weighing the decision... and   
finally reached her choice.  
  
"Where do I sign?" she asked softly.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Hikari didn't come back after lunch, and Shinji was worried.   
  
Against his better judgement, he decided to make a stop at the   
Horaki house on his way home. Hoping that Kodama wasn't home, he   
rang the doorbell and waited for an answer. A few moments passed,   
and just as he was about to leave-- someone came running from around   
the back of the house.  
  
It was Nozomi.  
  
She put a finger up to her lips and glanced back at the windows to   
make sure no one was around, then beckoned him to follow her to the   
curb. They'd walked to a point where a shrub hid them from view   
before she finally said anything.  
  
"Did she talk to you?"  
  
"You mean Hikari?" Shinji asked, a little bewildered by the   
younger Horaki sister's behavior.  
  
"No I mean Gamera," she snapped, "of _course_ I mean Hikari...   
did she talk to you today?"  
  
"We were going to talk after school, but she never came back from   
Lunch," he explained.  
  
"Crap. I was afraid of this... she won't be home till late Shinji, I got   
a call earlier, and no I don't know why."  
  
"Why are you so angry?" he asked.  
  
"I'm just tired of putting up with people who make life harder for   
themselves by being stubborn jerks," she said with a sigh, "yourself   
included by the way. Don't say anything, I'm not going to bite your   
head off now that I got it off my chest."  
  
"Um... thanks.... I think."  
  
"Look, she's feeling really lousy about ignoring you, but she's also   
mad at you for lying to her. Tell her that your sorry and try not to flinch   
too much while she chews you out and you two should be fine ok?"  
  
The only response Shinji could think of to that was to blink and   
mumble a startled 'thank you.'  
  
"Don't worry about it... sometimes I think about how much   
trouble you older people cause yourselves and I wonder if I'm gonna   
turn out like that... bleuch!" she said as she made a face, "anyway, that's   
all I have to say other than try not to kiss any more redheads... OK?"  
  
"I'll try," Shinji said with a grateful smile, "by the way, why are we   
hiding behind this bush?"  
  
"Simple. Just because I've forgiven you and Hikari is about to   
doesn't mean that Kodama has. I would watch it around her; she tends   
to get mean when it involves her favorite little sisters. In particular I'd   
be careful if you see her carrying any sharp, pointy objects."  
  
Shinji gulped and decided that he was going to try to avoid Kodama   
for a while.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"The fourth child's been found?" Misato asked with no small amount   
of surprise.  
  
"Yesterday," Ritsuko said in that bored voice that was supposed to   
let Misato know that she was annoying her, but never worked.  
  
"How come I haven't received a report from the Marduk institute?"  
  
"It happened pretty fast, I would imagine the official documents   
are still in the mail. You'll probably receive them tomorrow."  
  
"Whatever... so who's the kid?"  
  
Ritsuko did something with her computer faster than Misato's eyes   
could follow and a file came up on the monitor beside her. The face   
was familiar and Misato had to fight not to gasp.  
  
"Please tell me you're kidding!"  
  
"It's not like we have much Choice Misato, we keep the potential   
candidates together to protect them. After what happened in Germany   
we take no chances of loosing any of them..." she trailed off with a   
frown as she thought of the dozen or so children that had been lost with   
the American Branch.  
  
"Ok... you have a point... but this is kind of hard news to break.   
Asuka will be fine; she's totally committed to Piloting Eva. Rei is   
exceptional, I don't think she's given us a problem yet... but I don't   
know how this will effect Shinji at all... He and Hikari are having a bit   
of a spat at the moment and if that doesn't clear up this might do him   
more harm than good."  
  
"As I said, we have no choice. It is this or our total destruction."  
  
"That doesn't mean I have to like it." She told Ritsuko as she   
walked out of the office.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
There were times when Ryouji Kaji despised his job. He hated lying   
to those he loved and while he was skilled at it, he had no warm place   
in his heart for killing. Other times however-- he loved it. As he leaned   
into Maya Ibiki's personal space and gave her his best 'ladykiller grin'   
he decided that this was one of the times his job wasn't so bad.  
  
Flirting, he thought, was an art. Like most arts it took practice, and a   
touch of initial talent for the best results. Most people were at their best   
when they didn't actively try to do it, when they just relaxed and had   
fun. Those were the people with the natural talent for it. With some   
other people it took the exact right words at the exact right moment for   
maximum effect, and otherwise they floundered helplessly.   
  
His personal technique blended a little of both. He knew all the   
right words to say at the right moments, but at the same time he ad   
libbed and had fun with it. That combination was putting Maya in a   
very tongue-tied state of mind, and to be honest he felt a little sorry for   
her. Like Misato she and the other bridge officers were merely pawns   
in the big game. If and when Seele got too fed up with Ikari... It would   
be a shame. He felt sorry for those who died without ever knowing   
why.  
  
At the moment however this was furthermost from his mind. If he   
could establish an ongoing dialogue with this young woman then he   
would be that much closer to the truth. She was Ritsuko's apprentice in   
all things Magi, and was privy to secrets that possibly even the sub   
commander was in the dark on.   
  
Unfortunately all his careful phrasing and planing were laid to   
waste as a voice cut across the break room.  
  
"Hi Kaji, how's it going?" Misato Katsuragi said loudly and   
sarcastically.  
  
'Someone has got to do something about her sense of timing,' he   
thought wryly as Maya let out a high pitched squeak and edged out of   
the room faster than he thought a person could move sideways.   
  
"Oh... its going," he noted as he watched his chances of an inside   
link make her rapid exit.  
  
"Far be it for me to say anything about your private life, but don't   
you think that it's a bad idea to be hitting on girls under certain chains   
of command?"  
  
"Who's under who is not your concern... or would you rather be the   
one who was the center of my undying affections?"  
  
"Depends on how you answer this," Misato said as her voice   
lowered, "you have the inside dirt on Nerv's secrets about the Marduk   
and that damned thing in the basement right?"  
  
'Shit,' Kaji thought, 'she does _not_ want to get too deep into this,   
she's far to involved already...'  
  
"Um... What secrets?" he tried to pass off innocently.  
  
"Kaji, don't play games about this."  
  
"It's not like you to be asking someone else for help... particularly   
me. What will people say?"  
  
"I'm not worried about that right now, and let people think whatever   
they damn well please. I just found out that the Fourth Child was   
discovered, and something stinks about how it happened just in time   
like this."  
  
Kaji looked around and stepped in close to her, whispering what   
he had to say in her ear.  
  
"I'll tell you this for now, the Marduk institute does not exist.   
Commander Ikari and Nerv are pulling the strings all by their selves."  
  
"But what does that mean? Why would they want to keep it   
secret?"  
  
"I'll give you another clue, code seven zero seven. Investigate that   
and you'll be that much closer."  
  
"Seven zero seven... but that's the directory for Shinji and Asuka's   
school!"  
  
Before they could say anymore, footsteps could be heard coming   
down the hall and the two sprung apart like they had touch a live wire.  
  
Shinji Ikari came walking into the room calling for Misato and Kaji   
almost sighed in relief. He'd been afraid it would be one of the bridge   
crew or Doctor Akagi.  
  
"There you are," he said as he saw them, "Misato, Ritsuko said to   
remind you that you need to be ready for the trip in the morning and to   
finish all the paperwork as soon as you can."  
  
"Thanks, um... I'll talk to you later Kaji."  
  
"Ok," he said as she left. It took him a moment to realize that   
Shinji was not only still there, but also apparently not going anywhere.  
  
"Can I get you anything? Cup-o-tea?"  
  
"Kaji... I'm a boy." Shinji said dryly as Kaji realized he was still in   
'ladykiller' mode.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
They did end up going for a snack at a park that was along the   
walkway to Central Dogma's pyramid. As the watched the mirror   
system kick on and the light shift in the Geofront, Shinji shook his   
head, "I thought you'd me a more serious person Kaji."  
  
"You're saying that to someone as straight laced and reliable as   
me?" Kaji rejoined with a grin  
  
"Sorry, it's just that I always thought of most adults as serious and   
dull, and then I met you and Misato... and now I don't know what to   
think."   
  
"We are something of an exception to the rule, I'll admit... hey, let   
me show you something."  
  
He motioned Shinji as he walked off the path and into the small   
glen that made up that part of the Geofront's surface. After a short   
walk, they came to the edge of the Geofront's lake. In the distance, just   
past the trees, Shinji could see what looked like the medical building.   
Finally, as they stepped around some shrubbery, they came across a   
well-tended Garden. As Shinji watched on, Kaji picked up a watering   
tin from a small pile of tools, stepped over to the lake and filled it. A   
few moments later as he began to water the garden, Shinji took a closer   
look at what he was growing.  
  
"Melons?"  
  
"Aren't they cute?" Kaji asked with a grin. He knew that the more   
amusing innuendo's he could make about his garden would probably go   
over Shinji's head, "this is about the only hobby I have... um do me a   
favor and don't tell anyone. I wouldn't want them to think I was softer   
in the head than they already believe."  
  
"Um... ok," Shinji said as he watched him sprinkle.  
  
"I hear you're having some trouble in the area of amore... is that   
why you wanted to talk to me?"  
  
"... Yes," Shinji, said reluctantly.  
  
"So what seems to be the problem?"  
  
Shinji began to talk, and a good while later, when he came up for   
air, Kaji couldn't help but be a little surprised, and impressed with the   
situation that the young Ikari had managed to get himself into.  
  
"And now I don't know if she's changed her mind or what, I think   
Nozomi is the only one who will even talk to me, and Hikari wont even   
talk to _her_. I just don't know what to do..."  
  
"Its a strange position to be in, and not one that many handle   
well...were you to continue to call every chance and try to speak to her   
too much she might get angry with you, so I would advice taking a step   
back in that department. Shinji as hard as it sounds, you're only real   
chance to see this through is to do as has already been suggested, and   
wait till she is ready to talk. She'll let you know when that is. It's not   
fair, but that is the way life can be sometimes."  
  
His cell phone rang as he finished saying that and he answered it. It   
was Misato asking for Shinji to report to the lab for the latest synch   
test.  
  
"Keep your chin up Shinji, and don't worry too much, I doubt she   
could stay angry at you forever."  
  
As Shinji walked back to the path, Kaji sighed... he'd thought the   
same about Misato and it had taken over seven years for her to come   
around... with any luck Hikari Horaki wouldn't take quite that long.  
  
  
[]=====================[]  
To Be Continued...  
[]=====================[]  
  
  
Authors Incoherent babbling  
  
And now for my longest babbling yet  
  
So Hikari's the Fourth Child... it's been pointed out to me that I made   
it rather obvious from the earlier chapters how this was going to go so I   
didn't feel the need to hike up the suspense on that. Not that the original   
timeline did much of a job of keeping it a secret (well from everyone   
but Shinji) ^_^   
  
A word about Rei and Shinji. The scene with them having dinner...   
was not a prelude to any romantic hijinks. I've said this before, and I'll   
say it again. While the kiss in part one may be debatable, I don't have   
any plans for love triangles in this story. This may seem like spoiler   
material, but I feel the need to point that out. Shinji and Rei are friends   
at this point, and he was just trying to follow his own advice and spend   
some more time with her, he'll be doing so with Kensuke and Touji-- if   
they get a chance to that is...   
  
By now many of you have probably noticed some odd references   
here and there, some quotes, and some repeating dialogue... this is   
intentional. I'm deliberately using some lines from Eva, and tweaking   
them a little, not only to make it flow better (subs and dubs are   
inherently inaccurate because of time constraint and translation   
glitches), but because things have changed-- and while a persons   
response may be the same, their altered train of thought will bring   
slightly different phrases to mind as they speak.  
  
People who've read Moonlight Sonata have no doubt noticed the half   
dozen references to that story in this chapter, and I make no excuses-- it   
was a shameless plug. Feel free to read the story at my site if you want   
to find out what one of those 32768 possibilities for the Second   
Branch's disappearance might have been. The link will follow the   
babbling  
  
I've also snuck in probably a dozen lines from Buffy the Vampire   
Slayer so far, not because I'm trying to be cool or hip or anything by   
using trendy lines from a hit show, I just thought it was hilarious. So if   
you see people refer to 'love making them do the wacky', if you see   
people say that they 'laugh in the face of danger, then hide till it goes   
away', or if someone gets a wigens, that's just me being silly.   
  
Next chapter is where the meat and potatoes are served, and I'm   
sure y'all are wondering what's gonna happen with the 13th angel   
*grins evilly* and I doubt that the rest of the story is going to be   
anywhere close to being dull. This is where the story of Eva took a turn   
for the dark side, and I'm not going to say whether or not this will   
follow, you'll have to see for yourself.   
  
I'm gonna hop on my soapbox real quick about the topic of   
ACCs. I like 'em, and I've made no denials of this. I think that for some   
stories ACCs are necessary-- I could not have told the tale of   
Moonlight Sonata without them. And I'm not referring to supporting   
characters like Yume and Ichigo are in this yarn, I'm talking about   
ACCs as main characters like Terry St. John in Gospel of Malechel and   
Jennet Wallace from Sins of the Past. New characters in Eva are a   
touchy thing. Mostly this is due to the enormous complexity of the Eva   
cast. I think it may be worthwhile for writers to give any new Pilots a   
subtle mental problem so that they might fit better into the crew. We   
already have one with a death wish, one with a obsession with proving   
to her dead mother that she exists, and one who... well Shinji's   
problems are a long list and my fingers are getting tired ^_^ just   
remember that these character flaws are part of what make the Eva cast   
seem so real. Ok I'm off the soapbox now.  
  
One last note before I go and grab some shuteye. I got to thinking   
and I realized a possible reason why Hikari is one of the few, the proud,   
and the sane in the Eva universe. I seem to recall someone mentioning   
that Anno was class president back while he was in school...   
coincidence? Perhaps it isn't Shinji that represents Anno in Evangelion   
after all... Just a thought.  
  
  
Hotwire   
Chain Lightning Studios  
http://www.chainlightningstudios.com   
  
  
  



	4. 

  
  
Chain Lightning Studios Presents  
Together We Stand Book Two  
Divided We Fall  
By T. L. Webb  
  
  
All in all it was just another brick in the wall,  
All in all it was all just bricks in the wall.  
The Wall Part One  
Pink Floyd, The Wall  
  
  
[]=====================================[]  
Book Two, Part Four  
[]=====================================[]  
  
  
The worst part was the waiting.  
  
As the seconds ticked on and on-- displayed in bright yellow   
digital numbers against a black background, Shinji decided that was   
indeed the worst of it. The ever-gnawing knowledge that the battle was   
coming soon, but not yet-- Knowing that any moment the enemy would   
cross the mountain range and the fight would begin in earnest was   
eating at him. He wanted to do something, to get out of the damn LCL   
and stretch, or to talk with Rei for awhile... he'd even talk with Asuka   
if she'd put up with him. Unfortunately they had to be ready at a   
second's notice and they couldn't even risk radio traffic   
  
It was made worse this time than with the tenth Angel in part   
because they didn't know what they were up against. Whatever   
shockwave the thirteenth angel had thrown off had disrupted   
communications all around and they were effectively going into the   
fight blind.   
  
Even worse than that-- Misato had been in the testing area when the   
Angel had made itself known and no one knew of her or Dr Akagi's   
current status. Misato was head of operations and the chief tactical   
officer in Nerv. She was the one who planed their battles, who had time   
and time again crafted their strategies. She was the one who constantly   
pulled their fat out of the fire at the last moment and gave them the key   
to winning the day.  
  
As the digital readout continued to tick endlessly away, he   
thought back to the morning she had left for the failed test.   
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"So are you doing any better?" Misato asked Shinji as she stood at   
the door checking her things.   
  
She was about to leave for Matsushiro to oversee the arrival and   
activation of Evangelion Unit Three. Part of her wished Shinji would   
just come out and ask her who the pilot was, and the other was dreading   
that very question. For now she just wanted to make sure he was stable   
enough to leave unattended-- at least until Kaji arrived to look after him   
and Asuka. She might have told him about it the day she had found out,   
but the fourth child had called her aside that night and requested that   
she be allowed to tell Shinji about it herself-- after the activation.  
  
Hikari had been adamant about it, insisting that if someone else   
were to break the news then whatever small chance she and Shinji   
might ever have again would be shattered.  
  
[Trust is the problem between us right now Misato,] she had said,   
[and the only way this will work-- the only way I can show him I still   
trust him and still be pilots together-- is if I tell him myself... please!]  
  
That heartfelt appeal from the girl had won her over, and now she   
was struggling with the weight of a secret she could not tell one of the   
people that was closest to her heart.   
  
"I just don't know Misato," Shinji told her sadly, "its... its almost   
like I'm back at my uncle's place. I'm just going through the motions...   
I can't concentrate on school and Ritsuko said that my last synch test   
was down three points... but I'm not as bad as I was a week ago. That's   
something at least."  
  
"Just hang in there Shinji, I'm sure whatever is keeping Hikari   
wont last much longer."  
  
"Is there some way you could find out?" Shinji pleaded, "I don't   
even know where she is... all Nozomi knows is that she should be back   
next week. I think Kodama knows something but she won't even speak   
to me. She'd talk to you though wouldn't she?"  
  
"Maybe... listen, I wouldn't worry too much about it Shinji, didn't   
she say she'd talk to you just before she left?"  
  
"Yeah... but she said she'd meet me after school-- then she didn't   
even come back from lunch, and that was two days ago."  
  
"It might be some family emergency" Misato told him-- hating   
herself for the lie, "but listen to me, Shinji. All I can tell you for now is   
that you have to just keep moving ahead, and don't hesitate when the   
time comes. Be honest with her, that's all I can tell you."  
  
"You sound like Kaji," he said with a chuckle.  
  
"It was worth even that to get you to smile for a change," Misato   
said wryly as she opened the door, "but don't tell Asuka I said so, I'd   
prefer to keep my breathing privileges."  
  
She stopped suddenly, and then Misato surprised him by wrapping   
her arms around him in a gentle hug.  
  
"I know how hard all this must seem on you, and I promise if there   
was any other way we wouldn't be putting all this off on you kids. Do   
you believe me?"  
  
".... I do... and thanks," Shinji told her as she pulled back and   
walked out the door.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
He hadn't even gotten to the kitchen when the doorbell rang.   
Shaking his head and assuming Misato had forgotten her keys again he   
made his way back down the hall and opened the front door.   
  
He was almost knocked back as Kensuke bowed sharply and   
formally.   
  
"Major Katsu...." he trailed off as he realized Shinji was alone.  
  
"She just left," Shinji said as he tried to figure out what his friend   
was doing  
  
"Damnit!" Kensuke said, "I must have missed her at the elevators."  
  
"What did you need her for?" Shinji asked his friend followed him   
inside.  
  
"They're going to activate Unit Three tomorrow, and I was hoping   
they hadn't picked a pilot yet." Kensuke explained.  
  
"Oh... hey, where's Touji?"  
  
"Aw, I dunno, he wasn't home when I called, he probably was in   
the shower or something"  
  
Kensuke slumped into a chair as Shinji started putting together his   
and Asuka's lunch. In the last couple of days he'd had too much free   
time and it helped to have something to keep his mind occupied-- hence   
the cooking  
  
"I don't know for sure, but they probably already picked a Fourth   
Child. I'd imagine they'd be training them as we speak so they won't   
have to repeat what they went through with me."  
  
"I'd imagine... so where's the red death?"  
  
"In her room, and if I were you I wouldn't say anything like that   
around her. she's been in a bad mood lately."  
  
"You mean she has another kind?" Kensuke joked, just as Asuka   
walked in.  
  
"If you want, I could show you my 'its-time-to-painfully-injure-the-  
nearest-stupid-boy' mood," she told him as her eyes narrowed to   
dangerous slits.  
  
"I think I'll pass," Kensuke gulped.  
  
"Humph," Asuka snorted as she grabbed the bag Shinji had just   
finished packing and stormed out of the room.  
  
"Okay... next time I think I'll just take your advice and leave the   
witty rejoinders for Tetsu," Kensuke said once the door had slammed,   
"I mean, seriously! What crawled up her--"  
  
"I'm ready," Shinji said cutting him off, "and who is Tetsu?"  
  
"Oh, sorry, TetsuShojo is that girl I met online."  
  
"Really? I don't think you ever mentioned a name before."  
  
"Well that's kind of the only one I know her by, she doesn't want   
to get in trouble where she works and has to keep her conversations   
limited-- kind of like you and Nerv stuff."  
  
"That's kind of weird that you don't even know her real name."  
  
"I know, I've already had this discussion with Touji-- it is   
weird... but its also some of the most fun I've had outside of my   
military stuff. I'd think you all would be congratulating me on   
branching out in my interests."  
  
"We might if you hadn't just traded one obsession for another,"   
Shinji said with a smile.  
  
"Ouch... I think you've been around Misato and Asuka too long.   
_You're_ supposed to be _my_ witless foil, remember?"  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
She'd never admit it to anyone, but the waiting was driving Asuka   
up the wall. She'd long since shut down her time display and was idly   
playing with a strand of her hair as she waited for her alert screen to   
light up. Until then there was really nothing else for any of them to do.   
As she stared at the bland countryside through the high resolution   
display screens that surrounded her pilot seat, she stifled a yawn and   
looked across the rice fields to where she could just make out the head   
of Unit One.  
  
She was still more than a little creeped out by what it had done to   
the twelfth Angel. The damn idiots didn't even know why or how it had   
managed to pull that stunt off. They had finally told her it was   
classified and stopped talking, but she knew that they were frightened--   
that they were all frightened. After all, it wasn't the first time.  
  
'Damn prototypes,' she thought as she watched the setting sun   
reflect off the still waters, 'thank Gott that they managed to hammer out   
those bugs before they built my Unit two. At least they won't have to   
worry about my Eva going psycho and mauling anyone. Whoever   
thought it was a good idea to use those two needs to have their head   
examined, I wouldn't get into either of them even if they'd wanted me   
to. I mean, unit one's tantrums are one thing, but Unit Zero?'  
  
She shuddered as she remembered the footage of Eva Unit Zero   
trying to tear its own head off. Things had gone fine until they'd gotten   
to the final neural connections. She wondered if Rei had been nervous   
that Shinji had done just as well as she had. Asuka knew that she'd be   
pissed if someone matched her in Unit Two.... Or did Rei feel jealousy?   
Or anything for that matter? Most of the time the girl sat there like a   
lump until someone told her to do something-- she was worse than   
Shinji, and at least Shinji was slowly improving...  
  
That brought to mind something she had found out the day Kaji   
had come by... She'd been leaving Dr Akagi's office after a standard   
medical when she had run into Hikari in the lounge. They'd stood there   
looking at one another for what felt to Asuka like an hour before Dr   
Akagi had finally walked out and asked Hikari to follow her. Hikari'd   
left without saying a word, but the look she'd given Asuka had said   
volumes.  
  
It all fit together in her mind like children's puzzle. Unit Three   
was here, Hikari was in Central Dogma, and you needed top clearance   
to be in Central Dogma, Pilots had top clearance... Hikari was the   
Fourth Child. It was child's play to deduce, but what had thrown her   
was when Dr Akagi had relayed a message. Hikari didn't want her   
telling Shinji she was the Fourth. Whatever her reasons were she wasn't   
sharing them. Apparently she was still a little mad, as she also   
apparently didn't feel like talking to her in person.  
  
That had hit her harder than she wanted to admit, and even with   
Kaji staying the night she still hadn't been able to cheer up.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Kaji had arrived right on time, which was a surprise to even him.   
  
"I hope no one hears about his," he joked as he let Shinji take his   
jacket, "I do have a reputation to uphold."  
  
Asuka was waiting patently in the kitchen and as the two entered her   
face lit up like a thousand-watt light. Before she could run up and hug   
him, however, he asked to use the shower.  
  
"After the plane landed," he explained, "I just barely had time to   
grab a change of fresh clothes and restock my overnight kit."  
  
"You travel an awful lot Kaji," Shinji said as Asuka made her way   
to the living room in a huff, "do you get to see a lot of the places you   
visit?"  
  
"Sadly that's not usually the case. Generally its get in, find the   
problem, get out and come home to flirt with Misato and Ritsuko until   
its time to go again."  
  
"Oh," Shinji replied as Kaji closed the washing room door.   
  
After grabbing his laptop so he could catch up on his studies, he   
joined Asuka in the living room. She was already caught up in a trashy   
soap opera so he concentrated on getting his work done. It wasn't too   
long however when she spoke up.  
  
"Kaji sure takes long baths..." she said, and Shinji realized that she   
might not have been paying as much attention to the show as he'd   
thought. He knew how anti-social he tended to be, and for a long time   
since he arrived he'd been trying to fix that. Now as he looked up from   
his homework he realized that Asuka might be trying to start a   
conversation.  
  
"I guess," he said trying to think of something interesting to say,   
"um... so who do you think will pilot the new Eva?"  
  
For a split second Asuka's face took on an expression not unlike a   
combination of fear and shock, but it was for only a split second and   
Shinji wouldn't identify it until much, much later. She started to say   
something, but caught herself. In an almost nervous voice muttered that   
she didn't know.   
  
Shinji frowned at her. He only recognized the fib on an instinctual   
level-- a holdover to his current situation with Hikari. As she turned   
back to the television he was still trying to decide whether to press the   
issue or let it drop. Before he made his decision however, Kaji picked   
that moment to emerge from the washroom.  
  
"Are you two fighting again?" He asked as he rubbed the towel   
through his tangled hair.  
  
"Not really," Shinji replied as he went back to his studies.  
  
"Well as glum as you too look I'm surprised," Kaji said, "why the   
long face Asuka?"  
  
"I don't really want to talk about it Kaji," She said, "I am trying to   
be happy, I really am! But with everything that's going on... even with   
you staying here for the night isn't enough."  
  
"Well I think we should all go to bed," Kaji said cheerfully,   
causing both the youngster's eyes to widen, "I find that's usually the   
best thing to do at a time like this."  
  
"Um... Kaji?" Shinji asked, "don't take this the wrong way, but are   
you crazy?"  
  
"I am _not_ going to sleep with _him_," Asuka added with a frown.  
  
"I just meant that you'd feel better after a good night's sleep," Kaji   
said as he put on his best innocent look, "I don't know what you were   
thinking but it sounds dirty."  
  
Two flying pillows immediately connected with his head.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
'Pilot Ikari does not know that Miss Horaki is now a pilot,' Rei   
Ayanami thought as she meditated within the entry plug of Unit Zero,   
'His response to this will be unpredictable.'  
  
She, of course, had known almost from the moment the decision had   
been made. Once she had reported for duty the morning following her   
dinner with Pilot Ikari she'd been informed. The knowledge troubled   
her, and she was not entirely certain as to why. She felt an odd   
connection to Pilot Ikari that--while similar-- was unlike the one she   
felt towards his father. She still did not possess the words to properly   
explain her feelings on the matter, even to herself.   
  
It was a journey that was causing her distress and excitement. On   
one hand she was growing to enjoy the company of her classmates   
more and more as of late. Before this year, a conversation was an   
unnecessary triviality. People talked of things that, to her, were devoid   
of reason or purpose. Clothes, sports, movies and television shows, the   
activities of others... all were things that Rei had little-- if any interest   
in. Why the other children were so fascinated by such pointless topics   
had been a mystery to her until recently. Now she was slowly   
developing her own fascination with such things  
  
On the other hand she was having more difficulty keeping her   
emotions in check. That had been a growth she had not anticipated at   
all. At first it had been pleasant. She'd developed a fondness for her   
newfound friends, and when she was around them she felt happy.   
Seeing Pilot Ikari and Miss Horaki so happy together had made her feel   
content somehow. But when she'd learned of their fight, she'd felt   
sadness for the first time in months, and it had been much stronger than   
before.   
  
She was distressed by it, that the activities of others could so   
greatly effect the balance that she had always assumed was her natural   
state. As she had continued to interact with the small group of people   
she considered her friends, however, that balance had begun to shift.   
She knew how vital that balance was to her purpose, and it frightened   
her that she might be bringing failure to the project by her continued   
interaction... but at the same time she couldn't stop, she enjoyed it too   
much.. She was afraid a day would soon come that Commander Ikari   
would no longer allow her to interact with them.. But at the same time,   
for the first time she could remember, she longed to be free of her   
destiny.  
  
Pilot Ikari had touched the subject the night they had dined   
together, as well as other topics that had fascinated her. As she   
pondered the battle that would soon be taking place, a part of her mind   
drifted back to that night.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
He had just finished seasoning the vegetables, and was taking the   
rice off the burner when Rei asked Shinji something that gave him   
pause.  
  
"Why are you and Miss Horaki avoiding one another?"  
  
As he busied himself with finishing the meal, Shinji pondered that   
question. By the time he brought their plates into her living room he   
had an answer.  
  
"I was about to say that I wasn't... but I suppose in a way I am   
avoiding her," he replied as he set down her plate and his own,   
"everyone keeps saying that I need to give her time, that I need to wait   
for her to come to me... I don't agree with it, but it's all I can do for   
now."  
  
"Why are the two of you distressed?"  
  
"I guess I never did tell you," Shinji said with a touch of surprise,   
"it was my fault really, I did something wrong and then tried to lie   
about it. She caught me out and now she's angry with me."  
  
"What did you do?"  
  
"I... I kissed Asuka."  
  
Rei was quiet for a moment, then asked yet another question  
  
"What kind of kiss?"  
  
"I'm sorry?"  
  
"The night of Major Katsuragi's promotion miss Horaki displayed   
several types of kisses with you. Which one did you and Pilot Soryu   
share?"  
  
Shinji thought back to that night and smiled sadly. That had been   
just before he'd decided he would be fighting for Hikari. Having that   
taken away from him as it was hurt, and he was finding it hard not to   
dwell on it   
  
"If memory serves," he answered, "it was the second to last type."  
  
"I see... and because you attempted to lie, she no longer has trust in   
you?"  
  
"That's about the long and short of it... funny it seems like no one   
has any trust in me anymore."  
  
"That is not true,"  
  
"Then who Rei?"  
  
"Your fellow students, Major Katsuragi, myself, and your father."  
  
"My father? He doesn't even care that I exist other than as Unit   
Ones Pilot."  
  
"Why would he not care, are you not his son?"  
  
"I don't think he's treated me like one since I was a child Rei... he   
almost didn't even restore my status as Pilot after that last angel."  
  
"He restored it once the tests confirmed you were unharmed.   
There were doubts as to whether or not the angel had tampered with   
your mind."  
  
"Rei?" Shinji asked, changing the subject slightly, "what would   
you have done if it had swallowed you? I keep thinking that I could   
have escaped sooner if I had just tried harder."  
  
"I would not have escaped," Rei said simply.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"According to your Eva's data recordings, once inside the angel   
you were effectively trapped. It has yet to be determined just how you   
managed to escape. Had I been swallowed by the Dirac Sea I would   
have self destructed Eva Unit Zero."  
  
"You're serious... aren't you," Shinji said in a stunned whisper.  
  
"Why would I not be?" Rei had asked. The rest of their dinner was   
mostly broken by lighter conversation. They did not speak of Eva or   
Nerv for the rest of the night.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Having nothing better to do, and knowing he couldn't stave off   
thoughts of his situation with Hikari much longer, Shinji keyed up his   
holographic display system and programmed it to replay the   
conversation he'd had with the others just as they had arrived. It was a   
bit embarrassing-- he'd panicked when he'd found out Misato was still   
unaccounted for, but it did offer him one detail to contemplate.  
  
"An accident at Matsushiro?" he'd asked in shock as the heavy jet   
fighters prepared to release them to the site, "but what about Misato? Is   
she okay?"  
  
"They have yet to reestablish contact," came Rei's ever-calm voice.  
  
"But what are we going to do? Who is going to be in charge?" he'd   
asked in a frightened voice. In hindsight he decided that he had been   
afraid they would place him in charge... he knew he wasn't ready for   
that.  
  
"What are you whining about?" Asuka demanded, "its not like we   
didn't take down the ninth angel on our own. This is no different."  
  
"Commander Ikari will assume the position of tactical officer for   
this mission, "Rei said, correcting their impression that they were on   
their own.  
  
Shinji stopped the playback at that; he'd heard what he'd wanted to.   
His father...he still didn't trust him, and he knew so little about the man.   
It had shocked him at just how little Rei knew, and from all indications   
she was closer than anyone else save perhaps Sub commander   
Fuyutski. To everyone else that Shinji had asked-- Gendou Ikari was a   
blank.   
  
For over ten years Shinji'd had minimal contact with his father.   
The yearly visit at his mother's grave was the only time he'd ever seen   
him, and it had seemed as if even that was simply a token visit. He had   
made so many odd choices in his son's life, but as to the reasons behind   
such decisions-- Shinji didn't have a clue. Not once in all that time had   
Gendou Ikari mentioned he was raising Rei, and that bothered Shinji   
more than Ayanami's closeness to the man.   
  
Had he considered her a replacement? Had Gendou Ikari truly   
tossed Shinji to the wayside back then? If this was true it made it all   
even worse than Shinji had initially thought. It tore at him because of   
the callousness of the act. The lack of emotion in Gendou Ikari cut   
Shinji deeper than the actual act it. Not once had he ever offered a word   
of explanation for it. Shinji suspected that an apology would never   
escape the mans lips... but the lack of reason was more bothersome. He   
wanted to know why.   
  
So deep was he in these thoughts that he almost missed the   
blinking indicator light, and barely had registered it when the audio   
alarm began.   
  
The Angel had arrived.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"We just received visual conformation from Nobeyama," Shigeru   
said form his place in Central Dogma's command and control center,   
"I'm transferring the feed to the main monitor."  
  
As the holographic image flashed to life in front of them all but one   
let out a collective gasp at the sight displayed. Evangelion Unit three   
was making its way through the mountain pass in long lumbering steps.   
Its arms hung at its sides as if it didn't quite understand how to use   
them. Trees, buildings and anything else in its path were crushed as it   
continued its slow purposeful trek.   
  
Gendou Ikari alone remained unaffected by what he saw.   
  
"So... it's just as we suspected," Fuyutski said regretfully.  
  
"Transmit the termination signal," Ikari said as he rested his chin   
against his steepled hands, "then force eject the entry plug."  
  
A moment passed and on the monitor a burst of light and smoke   
appeared from the back of Unit Three. As the camera zoomed in, they   
could just make out what appeared to be a web-like substance clinging   
to the half exposed entry plug. It pulsed and seemed to grip the plug   
tighter-- whatever the substance was, it was alive.  
  
"The Eva is not recognizing the either the termination signal or the   
plug eject code," Maya said from her station in a strained, frightened   
voice, "the signal seems to be being blocked from within the plug."  
  
"And the Pilot?" Gendou asked with even less emotion than he'd   
displayed with his previous order.  
  
"We have respiration and pulse," Makoto said, "but she's probably   
unconscious according to these readings."  
  
"Very well," Ikari said, his voice firm and resolved, "from this   
moment on reclassify Unit Three as the thirteenth angel."  
  
"B-- but sir!" Maya said in shock at the coldness in his voice.  
  
"Maneuver the Eva's into position as planed, and destroy the   
target."  
  
Not once had he suggested a rescue attempt.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"But that's not an Angel!" Shinji insisted as he watched Unit Three   
advance on his screen.  
  
"That is your target, and your enemy." Gendou said calmly,   
"Accept this as fact."  
  
"Target? Enemy? But it's an Eva isn't it?" Shinji cried, he couldn't   
believe his father wanted him to do this.  
  
"Was it possessed somehow?" Asuka wanted to know.  
  
"Inside that thing is a kid just like me..." Shinji whispered as the   
thirteenth Angel approached Unit Two.  
  
"Shinji," Asuka said suddenly, "I gotta tell you something, the pilot   
of Unit--" her communication was cut off by a sudden jolt as all power   
was switched to combat mode.   
  
'Alright shiesekoff, if that's the way you want it-- fine. Lets   
dance,' she thought with pleasure as her Eva leapt into the air to avoid   
the Angel's tackle. Activating her shoulder thrusters, Asuka held the   
Eva in midair just long enough to position her pallet rifle. As she began   
her nine hundred-foot descent, she opened fire. The solid metal slugs   
flew from the electromagnetic accelerator and fell down upon the angel   
like a burning storm of hail.   
  
The angel did something with its body and just as the first of the   
rounds struck home a shimmering wave of force began to radiate off of   
it. As the slugs began to strike the wave, a distinct geometric pattern   
was revealed.  
  
She didn't need the Bridge crew shouting in her ear to know that it   
was an AT field.  
  
'Hand to hand it is,' she thought as a manic glee took hold of her.   
All other thoughts save victory fled from her mind. The other Eva's, the   
chain of command, the pilot's life... all gone. Her only goal was now to   
take down the Angel below her.  
  
Her AT field struck that of the angel's and the space between them   
began to glow furiously as the two opposing energy fields struggled for   
dominance. This struggle was short lived as at that moment Unit Two   
plunged through the AT field, shattering its weakened wall and   
prepared to strike at the dark shape below. The angel looked up at her   
and there was a blur of motion. Two black and white shapes shot   
forward and suddenly her rate of descent quadrupled.   
  
She barely had time to realize that the Angel's arms were holding   
onto her Eva as she struck the ground with a tremendous impact. The   
LCL was designed to cushion the pilot in such situations, but even it   
had its limits. Her last thoughts as she struck her head on the wall of the   
entry plug were strangely of her mother.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Unit Two just went silent!" Makoto shouted.  
  
"Entry plug ejection is completed," Maya said, "the salvage crews   
are in route."  
  
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but it was short lived. The battle   
was nowhere near over.  
  
"Target is now moving towards Unit Zero," Shigeru reported.  
  
"Rei, avoid any close combat," Commander Ikari said, "try to hold   
the target until Unit One arrives."  
  
"Understood," came the calm reply.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
The angel had cleared the mountainside, and as Rei prepared to fire   
the particle beam rifle at the chest components of Eva Three, something   
happened that she had never experienced.   
  
Hesitation.  
  
"The pilot... is still inside," she whispered as her mind warred over   
the desire to save the pilot's life and to follow orders.   
  
The Angel saved her from this dilemma by doing something   
unexpected.   
  
During the first battle against the Third Angel, the enemy had   
displayed the ability to use it's AT Field to fly short distances. Other   
Angel's had later on shown much more advanced versions o this   
ability, but that had been the first observed occurrence. Now as Rei   
Ayanami's mind struggled over her orders, the Thirteenth angel gave   
them all another display of this ability.  
  
It didn't even turn. It just launched itself up into the air before   
falling upon her Eva-- its arms gripping her tightly as a low growl   
escaped the open mouth. Suddenly she felt something hot against the   
skin of her left arm. It was as if someone had poured acid on it!  
  
She let out a scream of pain and fear as she tried to stay in control of   
Unit Zero.   
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
In command and control even Fuyutski was shocked at Gendou's   
lack of response to Rei's predicament.  
  
"The angel is- is invading the left arm of Unit Zero," Maya shouted,   
"its trying to override the synapse transmissions!"  
  
"Activate the left arm's explosive charges immediately." Gendou   
demanded, and Fuyutski was relieved to hear a touch of fear in the   
Commander's voice.  
  
"But the neural connections are still in place," Maya protested, "the   
pilot could--"  
  
"Cut it OFF!"  
  
It took Maya a moment to realize that the furious growl of an order   
had in fact come from Commander Ikari. More afraid of that voice than   
the angel itself, she immediately obeyed, and on the screen, the left   
shoulder of Eva Unit Zero exploded.  
  
The scream from Unit Zero's entry plug chilled them all to the bone,   
one of unrelentingly deep pain that none of them had the experience to   
imagine. As Rei clutched her shoulder and began to whimper in agony,   
Maya wiped a tear from her eye.   
  
"Mid... Mid level damage to Unit Zero," Maya said as she forced   
back her emotions, "it is shutting down and the pilot's readouts are   
showing feedback damage."  
  
As she watched Rei clutching her arm and crying in pain, Maya   
prayed it would be over soon.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"No... This isn't happening," Shinji said as he watched the Angel   
approach him from across the rice fields.  
  
"Unit One, the target is approaching. When it comes within range   
attack with whatever force is necessary."  
  
"You keep calling it a target," Shinji said in a low, panicked voice,   
"but isn't there a person inside that thing? A kid my age, a kid just like   
me. I can't do this, we have to try to save him."  
  
He toggled the monitor to zoom in on the Evangelion. He could   
see the growing web of gray matter surrounding the back of the Eva,   
but through that mesh, he could still make out the white and red of the   
entry plug.  
  
"I knew it," Shinji said bitterly, "there is a person inside!"  
  
He began to move forward to try and save whomever fate had   
chosen to trap in the beast, but just as he started forward, Unit Three   
stopped. Nervous, and confused about what it was doing, he stopped   
Unit one and began to slowly circle the Possessed Eva.   
  
Then, just as he was about to start forward again, the Eva leapt into   
the air in a forward summersault and struck Unit one in the chest.   
Shinji was hurled backwards into a nearby hillside. As the ground gave   
way beneath him he fought to keep focused. As he forced Unit one to   
its feet, he saw that the angel had dropped to all fours. This stunned   
him long enough for it to make its next move.  
  
It pawed the ground like a bull, and suddenly the arm in question   
was rocketing towards Unit one's face. The Angel's arm stretched like a   
bizarre toy, and it grabbed hold of Unit one's throat. Quickly it had   
both hands around the neck of Shinji's Eva and with a perverse growl, it   
began to squeeze.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Life support is failing!" Makoto shouted as his display went nuts.  
  
"Pilots life signs are starting to slip," Maya said as her voice   
cracked.  
  
Fuyutski scowled at the scene displayed before him, "Damnit," he   
muttered before raising his voice, "cut synch ratio to sixty percent   
imedia--"  
  
"Wait," came a cold voice from next to him.  
  
"Gendou if we don't do something the pilot will die!" he   
whispered sharply, dumfounded that his long time associate could be so   
cold.  
  
"Why aren't you fighting back," Gendou demanded as he activated   
a communications link.   
  
The tortured breathing from the other end caused a few of the   
tech's below to look up at their station with something approaching   
disgust.  
  
"There's still someone alive in there"  
  
"Irrelevant. It is an angel and it is our enemy. You will destroy it."  
  
"I can't do that damnit!" Shinji shouted, his breathing was ragged   
and weak, it was obviously taking an incredible effort just to speak, "if   
he's still alive then we have to try to save him!"  
  
"You will fight or you will die," Gendou said, and Fuyutski was   
somewhat relieved to see sweat beading on the man's brow.   
  
"I don't care," Shinji screamed as he struggled to breathe, "I won't   
kill another human being!"  
  
"Damn it to hell," Gendou growled under his breath as he stood for   
the first time anyone could remember, "cut all links between Unit one   
and the pilot."  
  
Everyone present blinked as they turned to look at the Commander  
  
"Cut it?" Maya asked weakly. She suspected where this was going   
and it terrified her.  
  
"Yes, cut the links and then switch all circuits to the dummy plug."  
  
"But sir!" Maya said, her voice edging far past panic, "the dummy   
system isn't finished, there are still too many bugs and without Dr   
Akagi here to--"  
  
"Its still better than the current Pilot," Commander Ikari shouted   
back, "do it immediately!"  
  
"Y-yes sir," Maya said as the focus of her fear was again directed   
back to the Commander.  
  
'Please forgive me,' she thought, not knowing for sure to who or   
where she was directing it.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
The unbearable pressure on his neck disappeared in a blink. As   
Shinji took his third breath and his head began to clear, he realized   
something was wrong. Just as he was registering that the plug had gone   
silent, the display blinked back to life. Even then, however, there was   
still something wrong. There was a red glow from somewhere behind   
him that was only increasing his dread. In front of him the angel was   
still squeezing the neck of Unit one. As a dull whirring sound began to   
grow louder just behind his seat, Shinji's dread began to shift to fury.   
  
"Father," he said. Low at first, but then with a blast of rage, "Father!   
What are you doing?"  
  
Unit One lurched to life without his guidance and Shinji almost fell   
back from the seat. The motion had always been in tune with his own   
before, and it was throwing him completely off balance. The arms of   
Unit one slowly reached forward until its hands closed around the   
Angel's throat. It began to pull itself forward, bending the grotesquely   
long arms of Unit Three out at odd angles. There was a sickening crack   
that was brought to his ears by the audio pickups, and he saw the other   
Eva's head and neck fall to the side above Unit One's grip.  
  
He was forced to cover his ears after that, because Unit One let out   
a roar that seemed to shake the very earth, and threw Unit Three to the   
ground in a brutal arc.   
  
"No..." he said as what was happening finally dawned on him,   
"father no, stop it!"  
  
The fist of Unit One reared back and as it shot down Shinji tried   
desperately to feed commands to stop it. The fist did not just strike the   
head of the other Eva, it pulverized it. Blood gushed everywhere, and   
as he screamed in protest, he heard a familiar woman's voice cry out   
over the speakers.   
  
It was Maya.   
  
"Someone stop this!" he cried, "I know you can hear me, please!"  
  
Unit One continued to bash its fists into the body of the dying   
Evangelion-- each blow crashing the armor plates hiding the flesh   
beneath. Shinji pounded on the controls and tears began to fall from his   
eyes as he begged and pleaded for his father to stop the slaughter that   
was going on before him.   
  
"Stop it, stop it oh god please don't do this!" He screamed as he   
bashed his fists against the display screens.  
  
"There's nothing I can do, there's nothing I... can... no," he   
suddenly felt the anger and panic drain from him as he realized that   
there _was_ one thing he could do to stop the slaughter  
  
As coldness crept into his mind and body, Shinji turned from his   
place at the controls and felt along the edge of the pilot seat. He found a   
handhold and pulled, sending a section of the cushion falling to the   
side. Just below where he had just sat, was a handle attached to a round   
device.  
  
[There's something about Unit One that makes it more valuable   
than anything else Shinji] Misato had told him after the Twelfth angel,   
[I don't know what it is, but they put its recovery ahead of your own   
life]  
  
"Lets find out how far you'll go to save it father," Shinji said as his   
hair fell over his eyes, "lets see just how far you'll go."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Oh my god!" Makoto shouted as the others watched the screen in   
awe at the destructive urges of the dummy system, "Unit one's self   
destruct system just went active!"  
  
"What?" both Fuyutski and Gendou shouted in unison, the effect   
might have been comical had the situation not been so dire.  
  
"I know you can hear me," came Shinji's voice from the interlink,   
"shut it down. Now."  
  
There was no more rage, no more panic or fear in the boy's voice,   
only a hollow acceptance, and while he would never have admitted it to   
any soul, living or dead, it frightened Gendou Ikari for an instant.   
  
"What is the status of the Angel?" he demanded quickly, pushing   
everything back down inside.  
  
"The target is sile--" Shigiru began to say.  
  
"Shut the dummy plug down, immediately!"  
  
With tears in her eyes, Maya sent the command code as fast as she   
could. Had Ritsuko been there she would have been impressed at how   
fast the multi-character code was entered.  
  
In the entry plug of Unit one, Shinji Ikari pulled his hand back from   
the self-destruct system and passed out cold. Outside the Eva, the hand   
of Unit one was buried inside Unit Three, its massive hand set to pull   
the entry plug through the Eva's chest.  
  
In the command and control center of Central dogma, Fuyutski   
turned to say something to Ikari, but found that the seat beside him was   
empty. He looked back and was just in time to see the man descend into   
the personal lift shaft.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Shinji woke up on a cot next to a very tired looking Misato   
Katsuragi.  
  
"Hey," She said from where she lay a few feet away. Her arm and   
head were wrapped in bandages and there were several cuts and   
scratches along her face.  
  
"Hey," he replied in a dry scratchy voice. He had nearly worn it out   
from the screaming earlier.  
  
"Kaji told me what happened," Misato told him, "I made them   
send me over here so I could see you when you woke up."  
  
"I think... Misato I think I killed someone," Shinji whispered   
through his sore throat.  
  
"Shinji... they don't know that yet, She might still be alive."  
  
"She?" Shinji asked, suddenly realizing something, "Misato... Do   
you know who the pilot was?"  
  
"Shinji, I need to explain something, and you have to listen to   
me," she was still too weak to even sit up, but Shinji was not. He   
climbed to his feet and looked out of the medical tent at the rescue crew   
who were hard at work removing the entry plug from the crushed and   
mangled form of Unit Three.  
  
"Misato... who was the pilot?" he asked, suddenly suspicious.  
  
"Oh God... Shinji I'm sorry, she asked me to let her tell you herself   
but..." Misato didn't get a chance to finish, because at that moment a   
cry went up form the rescue team that they had opened the plug.  
  
Having no major injuries, Shinji left Misato behind and ran   
towards the bright floodlights that were guiding the rescue crews. He   
had to push his way past a few of them, but no one tried to stop him.   
When he reached the inner circle of men and women, he was brought to   
a halt by what he saw.  
  
They had cut open the plug with a welding torch, and he could   
see the inside as two of the workers climbed into it. The edges were   
lined with the same webbing that had covered the plug earlier, only this   
time it was stained an orange color by the LCL. The first of the two   
pressures suited rescue members climbed back out of the plug, and as   
they pulled the pilot out, Shinji felt his heart begin to pound in his   
chest.   
  
His face went white and his breath caught in his throat as he   
fought to keep from passing out. Emerging from the entry plug, and   
covered in the orange stained webbing, was the unconscious form of   
Hikari Horaki.  
  
Dozens of yards away in the medical tent, Misato heard his scream.   
  
  
[]========================[]  
To Be Continued....  
[]========================[]  
  
  
Authors Incoherent Babbling  
  
  
Heh heh heh.   
  
Y'all thought I was gonna lop off her arm and leg didn't you? Admit   
it. *snickering uncontrollably* no, I'm not quite that far out of my   
mind. Close, but not quite. I do admit that it would make an interesting   
plot twist to actually do that, I have other plans in mind, and they call   
for Miss Horaki to retain her appendages for the time being.  
  
I've been keeping these for the most part at around 20 to 25 pages,   
and in theory that should stay a standard at least until Book Three,   
which I want to warn y'all now is gonna be around 30 pages per   
chapter if not more. Keep in mind that this thing is almost writing   
itself, and I make no real promises on any of that, it's just how I intend   
to try to do this. If the story decides a chapter needs 30 pages or even   
40, that's how long it's gonna be. A friend of mine-- after reading   
Moonlight Sonata and hearing me say something along those lines--   
told me I have 'Stephen King's disease' or as King himself calls it   
'diarrhea of the word processor'. I replied then, and I still say now that   
there are worse fates for a writer.   
  
Hell, I mean, right now I have 11 chapters plus the prologue   
finished, that's roughly 240 pages-- give or take a few-- and this thing is   
just at the halfway point. Believe you me, it could have been longer,   
but I am trying to keep it at a readable length. (I hate that phrase, I   
mean, if the story is good, who cares how long it is?) When all is said   
and done there will be the prologue, seven chapters of book one,   
thirteen chapters of book two, three chapters of book three, the epilogue   
and the bonus story. I don't know how fast some of you read out there,   
but twenty pages takes me about fifteen to twenty minutes, so I don't   
think this is unbelievably long when you consider that some people I   
know make it a point to watch Eva all the way through every month   
^_^  
  
one last thing. as you may notice, my web address has changed! I'd   
like to ask any of y'all who have me linked to please update acordingly.  
  
thanks  
  
I'm out  
  
Hotwire   
Chain Lightning Studios  
http://www.chainlightningstudios.com  
  
  
  



	5. 

  
  
  
Chain Lightning Studios Presents  
Together We Stand Book Two  
Divided We Fall  
By T. L. Webb  
  
  
Stop!  
I wanna go home  
Take off this uniform   
And leave the show  
Stop  
Pink Floyd, The Wall  
  
  
[]===========================[]  
Book Two part Five  
[]===========================[]  
  
  
"What a mess," Fuyutski muttered as he surveyed the damage in the   
Cage.  
  
The restraints that normally held Evangelion Unit One were   
mangled and crushed so far beyond repair that it would take days just to   
get the tracks cleared. Across the room there were several caved in   
dents in the wall. Each of them was larger than an automobile. All   
around him technicians and repair crews were busy trying to clean up   
what they could of the scattered debris. The noise levels were so high   
that he didn't hear Gendou Ikari approach.  
  
"I could not have phrased it better myself," Gendou said, and for a   
moment, Kozo wondered how his old student had heard him-- then   
decided it was probably better not to ask.  
  
"You do realize," Kozo said wryly, "that this is all your fault,   
don't you?"  
  
"And how did you reach that conclusion, praytell?"  
  
"Do you really want me to run off the _entire_ list?"  
  
"Why not? We don't have anything more amusing to do until the   
meeting."  
  
"Oh yes," Fuyutski said with a smile, "yet another tedious Seele   
bitch session. As if we didn't have enough problems."  
  
"Harsh words professor."  
  
"Perhaps nearly being crushed to death by our own weapon has put   
me on edge."  
  
"Fair enough," Gendou said as they made their way to the lift,   
"Now, you were speaking of blame?"  
  
"Ah yes, my point was that you haven't exactly gone out of your   
way to make Pilot Ikari feel welcome."  
  
"The requirements of my job do not allow for such trivialities."  
  
"And yet you had time to raise Rei..."  
  
"Pilot Ayanami is a special case. You know all too well that had we   
not taken those steps she might have grown beyond our control long   
ago."  
  
"Of course-- and I am well aware of all the facts surrounding it--   
but let me ask you something old friend, would you say Shinji was   
under our control?"  
  
Gendou was silent for a moment.  
  
"You see my point then?" Kozo pressed.  
  
"What would you have me do? Coddle the boy?"  
  
"Of course not. It's far too late for that anyway. I would, however,   
prefer you to be aware of why this has happened before your meeting   
with him."  
  
"I know very well why this happened."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"It does not take a psychologist to recognize a spoiled child   
throwing a temper tantrum."  
  
"I see..."  
  
"You disagree?"  
  
"Gendou, had this happened months ago I would agree with you,   
but I'm not sure you truly understand what just happened. Shinji didn't   
just plow into this complex in a berserker rage, he sat in Unit one for   
seven hours while they loaded it and brought him back here. He waited   
until he was _inside_ the cage to make his move."  
  
"Which proves what exactly?"  
  
"That he planed this. He calculated the power levels of the Eva   
and waited until he was close enough that he could attack us... To   
attack _you_, without fear of running out of energy. This wasn't a   
tantrum Gendou, this was a premeditated assault."  
  
Gendou scowled as he took that in, "I need to give this some   
thought Professor, I'll see you at the meeting."  
  
"Very well," Kozo said as Gendou stepped off the lift. As the   
doors closed he sighed and looked up at the lights on the ceiling, 'I'm   
trying to look after them as best I can,' he thought, 'but sometimes...   
sometimes it is very hard, Yui...'  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Every second of it was forever burned into his memory.  
  
He remembered the feral release he felt as Unit One stepped out of   
the shattered restraints and made its way to the far wall. Shinji had   
studied the layout of Central Dogma in detail after getting lost with the   
other pilots a couple of months back, and he'd known that the command   
and control center was just on the other side of that wall. He clearly   
remembered rearing back and throwing the first punch. The way the   
wall gave way a little, leaving a dent the size of the Eva's fist. In   
hindsight, he was reminded of his test With Unit Zero.  
  
Just as he'd thrown his third punch something happened. The plug   
had grown dim and he'd felt like he was being crushed. Concentrating   
on that moment, he knew now that the confusion he'd felt was because   
his vision had blurred and his lungs her being taxed to their limit. It had   
been the LCL, of course. The pressure had risen faster than he could   
adjust to. Somehow they had found a circuit he hadn't managed to   
block.  
  
That had been two or three days ago. He wasn't sure exactly how   
many; the isolation cell made it hard to keep track of time. In fact he   
wasn't sure what day it was. At the moment, however, he didn't really   
care. He was about to lose everything he had found in Tokyo Three.   
There was no way they would keep him around after what he had done.   
  
If he'd been offered a chance to go back and do it again, he would   
have done the same. His father had not only betrayed any trust they   
might have had-- he had spit upon it. Nerv was far to well informed for   
its Commander not to know that it had been his son's girlfriend inside   
of Unit Three. Had they really believed that he would have let such a   
thing slide? That he would have done nothing?  
  
What frightened Shinji more than that was the gnawing suspicion   
that he was somehow playing right into his father's hands.   
  
He looked at the marquee on the wall of the isolation cell. It was the   
only decoration in the entire room.   
  
God's in his heaven, all is right in the world.  
  
What did that mean anyway? Why was it below every Nerv   
insignia in the complex? Whatever it's meaning, Shinji had always   
found the words to be depressing. It was almost as if Nerv was trying to   
tell him that he was- and would always be- on his own.   
  
For the thousandth time since he'd woken up, his thoughts drifted   
to Hikari.   
  
'Why didn't you want them to tell me?' he wondered, 'what was it   
you were going to say that last day of school? Were you going to tell   
me never to speak to you again? Were you going to forgive me?   
Neither? Both?'  
  
So many questions that he couldn't answer... that he may never   
have the chance to answer... he wondered if they would put him in jail   
or just send him away.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
'So... what do you think'll happen?" Asuka asked Misato as she   
picked the girl up from the medical center.   
  
"Who do you mean?" Misato asked as they rode up the escalator,   
"are you talking about Shinji, or Hikari?"  
  
"Both I guess... is she even going to make it? They wouldn't tell   
me anything."  
  
"Hikari's in a coma, Asuka. Apparently the neural connections   
were still in place when the dummy plug started, and... Well, you saw   
the tape. She felt every hit, and by the time they removed the plug, the   
LCL she was breathing had gotten pretty stale. It's hard to say right   
now... as far as Shinji goes, that's up to Commander Ikari."  
  
"Did he really trash the main Cage?"  
  
"I haven't seen it myself, but from what I heard he tore it up pretty   
good. They just got the secondary restraints running and are preparing   
to move Unit One to the third Cage in a few days."  
  
"I didn't think he had it in him..." Asuka whispered to herself.   
Unfortunately for her, she misjudged Misato's hearing and the   
statement brought an immediate grin to her guardian's mouth.  
  
"My, my, Asuka! Is that actually a note of admiration in your   
voice?"  
  
"No it is _not_, I'm just... surprised that he grew a pair is all."  
  
"Shinji has always been braver than he thought he was, I don't   
know why you always ride him about it."  
  
"Because he acts like a sniveling little _coward_ all the time!"   
Asuka shouted, surprising Misato by erupting in anger, "its always 'yes   
ma'am,' 'no ma'am,' 'I'm sorry ma'am,' 'could you walk on me some   
more ma'am?' it-- it pisses me off! I just _can't_ respect someone with   
no sense of their own worth."  
  
Misato listened to the rant and nodded politely at the appropriate   
moments. When Asuka finally quieted down, she shook her head and   
sighed before speaking.  
  
"Asuka," she said in a tired voice, "have you ever stopped to think   
that maybe he doesn't know his own worth because people keep   
making him think he has none? I know you haven't done much to boost   
his self confidence."  
  
"What are you talking about? I've done plenty, I mean I even   
kissed the little fungus!"  
  
"First off," Misato said, her annoyance at the girls egotistic   
attitude finally getting the better of her, "he's a year older than you, so I   
wouldn't be calling him 'little' if I were you. Second, I've been meaning   
to ask you about that kiss. Did you even apologized to Hikari about it?"  
  
"I... I kinda didn't have a chance."  
  
"I'll accept that for now because of how insane things have been,   
but when she does wake up I'd put that at the _top_ of your priorities   
list were I you."  
  
Asuka didn't say anything else for the rest of the trip, and Misato   
hoped it was because she felt guilty. Asuka had a tendency to push   
painful things to the back of her mind, and slam the lock on them- it   
was something that had only been hinted at in her psych report.   
Unfortunately the report was much less conclusive that Misato would   
have liked, and using the information to predict Asuka's behavior was   
almost impossible. Misato had about decided that most psychiatrist   
were morons-- if the kids were really as bad off as they said then they   
shouldn't be allowed outside a rubber room, much less behind the   
controls of a two hundred foot tall war machine.   
  
It wasn't that the reports were worthless, it was just that despite   
the doctor's assurances-- they were nowhere close to telling the full   
story. Most of the reports had tried to whittle the children's whole   
personalities down to a stereotype. Shinji was this type, Asuka was   
another... and while they seemed to be at least on the right track, there   
was much more going on in the kids' heads than the papers tried to give   
credit for.  
  
She took another glance at Asuka, who was looking out the train's   
window. The girl had problems-- anyone could tell that, but Misato   
refused to believe that her situation was as hopeless as some wanted to   
make out.   
  
With any luck, if she could hold on a little longer, they would all   
make it through this.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
The door opened and Shinji squinted at the light. He wondered idly   
what kind of sadistic jerk had decided to keep it so dark in the isolation   
wards. As his vision cleared he heard someone thank the guard and he   
realized that he had a visitor. Once the door shut and his eyes   
readjusted, he was a little surprised to find Maya Ibuki standing in front   
of him. He was even more surprised to see that she wasn't wearing her   
Nerv uniform.  
  
"Miss Ibuki?" he said tentatively-- wondering what she wanted.  
  
"Hello Shinji, and I think Maya will be fine... more appropriate   
actually."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"It's kind of a long story..."  
  
"I don't think I'm going anywhere," he said with an ironic smirk,   
had he been paying more attention he would have caught the small gasp   
she let out. He'd looked a little like the Commander when he'd done   
that.  
  
"W-well, first off... I suppose I should mention that after I leave   
here I'm turning in my ID and leaving Nerv."  
  
Shinji suddenly looked at her in shock, and total bewilderment.  
  
"I don't understand, why did you come here?"  
  
"I wanted to apologize to you Shinji."  
  
"Apologize? You? To me? For what?"  
  
"Shinji... I was one of the designers of the Dummy Plug-- the   
Auto Pilot that destroyed Unit Three."  
  
Shinji's eyes watered up as he remembered the helplessness he   
felt as Unit One moved against his will. He refelt the overwhelming   
dread as he ran across the medical camp to the entry plug, and he felt   
the cold rage as he'd planed out his attack on Central Dogma.  
  
"I don't know how to even ask you to forgive what happened   
Shinji," she told him sadly, "I know how pathetic it is to ask that of   
you... but I swear I didn't know that it would be like that."  
  
Shinji looked down at the floor, his thoughts in a whirl.  
  
"We didn't mean for the dummy system to behave like that   
Shinji, it wasn't even ready... but with the situation like it was we didn't   
have a choice. That doesn't justify any of it, we should have tried   
harder to save Miss Horaki... but in the end the Angel had to be   
destroyed. It hurts to say it, but it's true. That kind of choice is the   
hardest in the world to make Shinji... we're fighting for all for   
mankind, and I still believe in the work that goes on here.... But I can't   
be a part of it and still live with myself any longer."  
  
" . . . "  
  
"I wouldn't blame you if you never forgive any of us for having a   
hand in what went on out there... I just needed to let you know how   
sorry I am for my part in what happened. Goodbye Shinji... and take   
care of Hikari when the two of you make up."  
  
She turned and the door opened for her. As she stepped out, she   
heard a voice from within.  
  
"Maya?"  
  
She stopped and turned back to where he sat. he was looking up to   
her with a slightly bewildered, but strangely calm smile  
  
"I forgive you," he said.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"So is it true?" Ritsuko asked as Maya packed up the last of her   
personal effects from her office.  
  
"Is what true?" Maya asked.  
  
"Is confession really good for the soul?"  
  
"You don't have to be sarcastic about this," Maya said softly.  
  
"Perhaps, but the sarcasm is keeping me from screaming at you   
Maya. What you're doing is totally insane!"  
  
"I told you why I'm leaving Sempai..."  
  
"And I think you're full of it. Guilt? With the stakes we're fighting   
for a little guilt shouldn't be enough hold you back. So why don't you   
tell me why you're really leaving?"  
  
"I never could lie to you could I?" Maya said as she closed her   
briefcase, "but I can't tell you why Sempai, you'd just say I was being a   
foolish romantic."  
  
"Don't tell me it's because of that _girl_?"  
  
"It's more than that, but that is a large part of it."  
  
"Okay, let me get this straight," Ritsuko said as she removed her   
glasses, and pinched the front of her brow, "You're leaving the greatest   
scientific undertaking in the history of the human race, allowing your   
movements and future employment to be restricted, destroying your   
career, _and_ your life.... Because you were partially responsible for   
creating a computer system that almost killed a little girl by accident?"  
  
"No, I'm leaving because I refuse to work for people who do   
things like that and _don't_ _care_ after they've done it." Maya said   
hotly, "Commander Ikari doesn't even care about his own son! How do   
you expect me to keep working here and watching him ruin life after   
life without even a blink? He almost killed the girl his son loves and   
didn't even say a word to the boy! Don't tell me he isn't heartless   
because if that isn't a perfect definition then I don't know what is!"   
Maya sighed and wiped the tears from her face before continuing, "Do   
you know how many people died when that A17 was ordered during   
the eighth Angel incident? Well I do! I had to write the Magi's report   
on it, and it's over a hundred dead of starvation because they couldn't   
get food for six weeks! He doesn't care about the very people he's   
supposed to be protecting!"  
  
Maya wiped away the fresh tears tried to reign in the sobs that   
were threatening to start. Ritsuko looked at her from the desk she was   
leaning against and sighed. There was little she could do to argue   
against what Maya had just said-- almost all of it was true  
  
"I'm just not as strong as you are Sempai, I can't watch all this   
happen, and-- and still keep working away like it isn't tearing me apart   
inside... I'm sorry."  
  
Ritsuko frowned and looked away for a moment, but then she   
surprised Maya.  
  
"No... You don't have to apologize for this," Ritsuko said as her   
face softened, "I shouldn't be so hard on you... I know what this job can   
do to a person, and I ought to be applauding you for getting out while   
your soul is still intact."  
  
"I--I..." Maya said as the tears began to flow freely. Ritsuko   
walked up and gave the younger woman a comforting hug.  
  
'I wish it wasn't too late for me,' Ritsuko thought as Maya said   
goodbye and walked out of the office, and Nerv, 'but I'm in far too   
deep to leave this alive...'  
  
"Godspeed Maya," she whispered to the empty room.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
The office of Gendou Ikari was almost exactly as Shinji had   
pictured it. Cold, intimidating, and larger than necessary. The only   
feature that caught him off guard was the etching on the ceiling, but   
he refused to be distracted. What he was about to do frightened him   
enough without worrying about his fathers taste in art.  
  
"Disobeying direct orders, blatant insubordination, using an Eva for   
personal vendettas, childish intimidation, criminal assault-- these are all   
serious charges. Do you have anything to say?"  
  
"The leg irons were a bit much."  
  
"I see... anything relevant? "  
  
"Actually, I do-- I quit."  
  
"Do you now?"  
  
"Yes. If you ever put me in that thing again, I will continue to   
come after you until one of us is dead. You can either let me go, or put   
me back in the cell. I don't care which."  
  
"You would abandon Pilot Horaki? Do you no longer feel for her?"  
  
Shinji's scowl darkened further at the word Pilot, "Funny hearing   
you say that-- seeing as how a day or so ago you ordered me to kill her.   
No, I do care, '_father_'. I want to see her, and I want to take her as far   
away from this place as I can."  
  
"Where would you go if you left?"  
  
"If Misato will let me, I'll stay with her until Hikari wakes up.   
After that... I don't know, perhaps I'll return to Uncle's home."  
  
"I see... I assume we will never meet again then," it was not a   
question.  
  
"If I have my way, no."  
  
"then you are dismissed, you disapoint me Shinji."  
  
With that, Shinji Ikari turned his back on his father and walked out   
of the office.   
  
as he reached the doors, Shinji turned back and faced the room. for  
several seconds the two stared down the long empty space at one another   
wordlessly. finaly, as the doors began to swing closed, shinji mouthed two  
short Monosyllabic words in German.  
  
The doors slammed closed with a hollow ring of finality. Gendou sat in   
the darkened room for a long time trying to decide who had won that little  
encounter. He would never be quite sure.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Excuse me? Pilot Ikari?"  
  
Shinji turned and found a man he only knew in passing standing at   
the door. He had been going over the paperwork for his soon-to-be-  
retirement from Nerv in a small room off to the side of the locker room.   
He nodded and stood as the man stepped in.  
  
"I don't think we've ever been properly introduced, I'm Kozo   
Fuyutski."  
  
"I know who you are Mr. Fuyutski, you're my father's second in   
command."  
  
"That's right, but to get to my point I wanted to thank you for   
you're courage up to now and to let you know how sorry I am to see   
you leave."  
  
"... I..." Shinji looked up at the man again and his resolution to   
anger faltered momentarily, "thank you..."  
  
"I know how hard it is to deal with your father-- I've worked with   
the man for most of this century, and have known him longer... I guess   
what I'm doing here is saying to you that which he is unable to say."  
  
"Sir.. It doesn't matter anymore, he doesn't want me here... he made   
that clear the day I arrived. I was brought in because he needed me, or   
as he put it, 'because he had a use for me'. Father is dead to me now Mr.   
Fuyutski, he has been from the moment he activated that autopilot."  
  
"I won't argue that he is a bastard and a bit of what the Americans   
call a 'son of a bitch', but he does care about you Shinji, he is merely   
unable to show that side any longer."  
  
"I think that's why Maya left," Shinji said, his eyes looking off to   
some point far away, "she said that she couldn't take the choices that   
Nerv is forced to make... I have to agree with her, and I even think I'm   
starting to understand it, but that doesn't make any of it right."  
  
"I wouldn't dream of saying otherwise, and I'll think it's only   
fitting that I tell you you're mother would be proud of that attitude."  
  
"M- my mother?"  
  
"I don't suppose you'd remember, but I worked with both her and   
the Commander back in the old days while you were a child."  
  
"Thank you... Mr. Fuyutski, could I ask you something?"  
  
"Depends, what is it?"  
  
"Do you think she'd approve of what I'm doing... my leaving?"  
  
"Tricky question that... it's hard to not give my own opinion in her   
place. I think the best answer is to tell you something she used to tell   
your father and I."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"That no mater what happens, no mater where you are, as long as   
you are alive it is possible to be happy."  
  
"I see... than you Mr. Fuyutski, and good luck."  
  
"Likewise."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Quitter," Asuka sneered from the doorway. She had been on his   
case since he'd walked in the door, and with Misato back at the site of   
the battle for the rest of the day, he had little choice than to put up with   
it for the time being. The odd thing was that she seemed to be taunting   
him more out of a sense of... the best he could describe it was   
desperation. He didn't understand it, and she didn't understand that he   
was far, far too drained emotionally for her words to hurt him.  
  
"Call me what ever you want," he replied as he began putting a   
change of clothes in his backpack, "I don't care."  
  
"Oh I can see that, obviously you don't care about anything since   
you're running away from your responsibilities."  
  
"Asuka, I don't want to be here, you don't want me to be here,   
father doesn't want me to be here, and with the dummy plug, no one   
needs me to be here... explain how what I'm doing matters before you   
insult me again."  
  
"We're fighting for the fate of the entire damn human race, how   
can you say you running away from that doesn't matter?" Asuka   
screamed at him-- it was almost as if she refused to accept the fact that   
his leaving was not only possible, but now inevitable.  
  
"You haven't seen them do the things I have Asuka. They lie.   
They lie to you, they lie to me, they lie to Misato, and in case you   
haven't noticed they lie to the rest of the world. They manipulate us left   
and right, and I'm tired of it. I'm tired of dancing like a puppet while   
my father pulls the strings. You can stay and be his little doll if you   
want to, but I refuse. I'm leaving"  
  
"Du gottverdammter arroganter kleiner Scheißer! Wie kannst du   
es wagen, mich so zu nennen!" she screamed at him as she slammed the door   
shut so hard it fell from its tracks and hung at an odd angle. He could   
hear her cursing German all the way to the front door, but finally when   
that slammed he was alone.  
  
Or at least he was until the phone rang a bit later.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Shinji! It's Kensuke."  
  
"Don't say anything," Shinji said quickly, before Kensuke could   
trip the security net that was no doubt listening in at that moment, "I   
need to talk to you, are you at home?"  
  
"Yeah..." Kensuke said, totally confused at this point.  
  
"Call Touji, I'll meet you both there."  
  
"Um... okay, what's this about?"  
  
"I'll explain it later," Shinji said-- wishing he could say more over   
the phone, "see you in a few."  
  
He made a quick note for Misato and hurried out the door.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
He had found it hard not to let Kensuke's room distract him as he   
told his friends what had happened in the last few days. The room was   
a military otaku's idea of heaven. Lining the walls were posters of   
tanks, jets, troops in action, and a few blown up shots of the Eva's.   
Diagrams and maps lined the few parts that weren't covered with   
posters. Stacked all around the Computer were notes and sketches, and   
printouts concerning all sorts of things that would probably get   
Kensuke arrested if found. In the middle of the basement room was the   
most impressive item-- a scale model of Tokyo Three with colored   
string and rough models of the Angels and Evas. The strings tracked   
the paths the battles had taken, and little flags marked specific events.  
  
He tried to ignore all this however; he had something important to   
tell his friends.  
  
"And after I left they made me sign a bunch of papers so I cant tell   
any of the media at risk of death. They won't get around to filing them   
until later tomorrow, so I don't think any of us will get in trouble for   
talking about it right now... not that I really care what happens, but I   
thought you'd feel better knowing that."  
  
Touji was looking at him with a look that was at the same time   
sympathetic and furious. Kensuke was close to going into shock.  
  
"So where will you stay?" Kensuke wanted to know.  
  
"Misato agreed to look after me for now. She's still my legal   
guardian, and it would take a lot of time to cut through the red tape if   
she doesn't go along, so Nerv just kind of decided to ignore it."  
  
"When can we see Hikari?"  
  
"I don't know Kensuke, Misato is going to talk them into letting   
me visit sometime tomorrow... I'll talk to the doctor then and see what I   
can work out. If that doesn't work I'd try asking her father."  
  
"Oh yeah, he works for the medical branch doesn't he?"  
  
"So that's it then?" Touji asked, his voice conveying an anger that   
didn't quite seem to be focused on Shinji, but was at the same time.  
  
"Yes, that's it..." Shinji said, meeting Touji's eyes and not   
blinking. The two's gazes locked and as Kensuke watched on nervously   
as tension seemed to build tangibly in the space between them, "sorry I   
can't say that none of this was my fault."  
  
Touji said nothing, but stood from where he was leaning against   
the wall and took a step towards Shinji-- his hand curling into a fist.  
  
"Go ahead Touji," Shinji said as he watched the fist form, "I've   
had it coming for weeks now, do it."  
  
Touji took another step forward but did not swing.  
  
"Go on," Shinji said more forcefully, "It's my fault she's almost   
dead! I lied to her, because I did that she felt she had to tell me herself   
she was a pilot _after_ the test. I might have been able to do something   
if I'd known-- so it's my fault. Its _all_ my fault! Now do it. Hit me!"  
  
Touji drew back to let fly, and while Kensuke started protesting,   
Shinji closed his eyes. Time passed and after a few moments of silence,   
Shinji reopened his eyes.  
  
Touji was still in front of him, but he was no longer prepared to   
throw the punch. Instead there were tears threatening to flow from the   
corners of his eyes.  
  
"I ain't going to hit you Shinji," he said, "so stop trying to piss me   
off."  
  
"I-- I couldn't protect her...' Shinji trailed off as tears began to   
build in his own eyes, "it's my fault, I deserve it."  
  
"You didn't deserve it the first time and you don't deserve it this   
time," Touji said sadly, "one of these days you gotta stop blaming   
yourself for everything that goes wrong-- none of us do."  
  
"What time are you going to see Hikari?" Kensuke asked.  
  
"Pretty early, just after they open the doors to visitors in the   
regular wards."  
  
"Could you do us a favor?" Touji asked after a glance at Kensuke.  
  
"Anything."  
  
"They say coma patients can hear you when you talk right?"  
  
"I guess so."  
  
"Tell her that we miss her at school and give her our love, okay?"  
  
"Absolutely."  
  
"And if you tell anyone else I said that I _will_ hit you," Touji   
added with a smile.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Early the next day, Misato finally arranged for him to visit   
Hikari's hospital room.   
  
She looked physically unharmed, and the doctors assured him that   
she was in good health considering what had happened. The problem   
was that the artificial pain had sent her system into shock, and she had   
lapsed into a coma. Even under the best conditions it was almost   
impossible to predict when or if a patent would recover from the   
slumber. With the circumstances surrounding her, however, the doctors   
refused to even hazard a guess. She might wake up in seconds, days or   
weeks, it was a big fat question mark.   
  
"Hello Hikari," he said as he pulled a chair up next to the bed,   
"I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner, but the doctors wouldn't let me."  
  
The soft beeping of the machines around her was the only sound   
in the room.  
  
"I quit Nerv... I couldn't stay after what happened, and apparently   
I wasn't alone. Its kind of weird running away like this. Last time I was   
so ashamed... but this is different somehow. The only way I can   
describe it is... have you ever heard the phrase 'damned if you do,   
damned if you don't'? It means that either way you chose it's the wrong   
choice. I could have stayed, and I'd still have been fighting for   
everyone, but then my father would be in control of me again.... So I   
chose to leave. He's still in control, but at least I can make choices   
without his hand manipulating me at every turn. I don't know... maybe   
I'm just lying to myself... I can't lie to anyone else with a straight face   
but I've always been good at that."  
  
He looked at her peaceful face and couldn't stop the tears.  
  
"I never should have lied to you Hikari, and I never should have   
kissed Asuka... I can keep trying to tell myself that what happened that   
night in the park was an accident, but I can't lie even to myself   
forever... I wanted to kiss her, and I should have fought harder not to.   
I'm sorry."  
  
"I don't know if you were going to forgive me or tell me never to   
speak to you again... and I'm as afraid of finding out as I am eager. I   
care a great deal about you Hikari, and if you ever forgive me, I'm still   
here for you."  
  
"I miss you."  
  
He stayed most of the day, and fell asleep in the chair. He was so   
exhausted that the emergency siren didn't even wake him.  
  
  
[]==================================[]  
To Be Continued...  
[]==================================[]  
  
  
Author's Incoherent Babbling  
  
  
This was a shorter one than I expected, but as I've said before; it's   
the story that decides this stuff not me. In the second draft I might   
increase it a good deal, one never knows what clever things prereaders   
will come up with.   
  
As for the use of German in this chapter-- Shinji's I won't reveal   
or translate other than to say it came from Scritch's multilingual swear   
list [http://www.jps.net/scritch/swear.html ]. Lets just say it's bad,   
and to be honest it shouldn't be too hard to figure out. I figure that   
after so much time with Der Redhead he HAS to have picked up on a few   
choice phrases. As for Asuka's, heres a rough translation of "Sie   
verfluchte arrogante kleine Scheiße des Gottes! Wie trauen Sie anrufen   
mich das!"? as was provided by AltaVista translations-- "you god damn   
arrogant little shit! How dare you call me that!"  
  
I want to thank all of you who've been so supportive of this fic! Its   
cuz of y'all I've been able to get this chapter out ahead of schedule. I'm   
going to do my best to continue to get these out every couple of weeks-  
- if possible. Even if I do fall behind that projection, I still intend to get   
a chapter finished each month. Actually, some of the later chapters may   
take that long simply because of the complexity's involved in the   
rewrites. But rest assured that I refuse to give this baby up. I have three   
backups of it here and there, so even if my computer gets wiped, I'll   
have the prereaders drafts to work with.  
  
I wonder sometimes, how do other fanfic authors feel when they give   
up a story? There are several fics out there that are just dangling with   
open endings. Variations on a theme, the Off series, and others. The fan   
reaction aside, I personally can't imagine leaving a story incomplete   
like that. Maybe that's because I write mostly for myself? I dunno. Just   
a random thought...  
  
  
Hotwire   
Chain Lightning Studios  
http://www.chainlightningstudios.com  
  
  
  



	6. 

  
  
Chain Lightning Studios Presents  
Together We Stand- Book Two  
Divided We Fall  
By T. L. Webb  
  
  
Good bye cruel world  
I'm leaving you today  
Goodbye  
Goodbye  
Goodbye  
  
Good bye cruel world  
There's nothing you can say  
To make me change my mind  
Goodbye  
Goodbye cruel world  
Pink Floyd, The Wall  
  
  
[]==================[]  
Book Two: part six  
[]==================[]  
  
  
While Shinji Ikari was keeping vigil over the girl he   
cared for more than anything else in the world, a lake some   
forty miles to the south of Tokyo Three was experiencing   
a sudden and dramatic change in temperature. An old man   
in a rowboat was the sole witness to the phenomenon.   
  
He'd been enjoying a quiet day of fishing and was   
settling back for a quick nap when he noticed an odd sound all   
around him. Sitting up in the boat he rubbed his eyes and   
looked about to find that the lake was suddenly teaming with   
activity. All across the lake fish were leaping out of the water   
and falling back in only to repeat the process again and again.   
The shore of the lake was swarmed with fish that had   
purposefully beached themselves and were slowly drowning in   
the air.   
  
Totally clueless as to what could be causing such strange   
behavior, he nonetheless was not the type to look a gift horse   
in the mouth. Taking up the oars he quickly made his way to   
the shore to collect that night's dinner.   
  
Jumping out of the boat, he found it difficult to walk in the   
teaming waters close to the banks. Fish were packed closer   
than he had ever seen them, and he realized that every fish in   
the lake must be trying to escape. It was a few seconds before   
he noticed that the water around his legs was warmer than it   
should be-- and was getting warmer.   
  
Finally growing nervous about the odd situation, he   
scrambled to the shore. Slipping several times on the hundreds   
of fish flopping all around him, he pushed past the mass and to   
a slab of rock where he could get above the activity. Climbing   
atop the stone, he looked back at the lake and gasped. It was   
well above seventy-five degrees that day, but steam was   
pouring off the center of the lake as if it was the dead of   
winter. He knew that something dangerous was happening, but   
he was frozen in place by the unreality of what he was seeing.   
  
Somewhere below the surface of the lake, a bizarre   
reddish-orange glow was increasing. As it did, the heat levels   
of the lake increased dramatically, and the surface began to   
actually boil. The old man sat transfixed as an enormous   
bubble broke the surface, releasing a foul stench of stale air.   
With the bubble's release, the level of water in the lake began   
to rapidly drop, and as it did, something began to move   
somewhere under the shrinking surface of the water.   
  
A grotesque face broke the surface, and the old man began   
to scream as he realized the face was larger than he was-- and   
growing! The face was attached to a body, and as it continued   
to move forward, he saw that it seemed to be crawling on all   
fours.   
  
It's size continued to increase as it rose from the boiling   
depths of the lake. It blocked out the sun as passed over him--   
it's giant forelegs flowing almost like a fluid, and followed by   
its stumpy hind legs. It crashed into the woods and as the old   
man sat on the rock in shock, the sounds of it's passing faded   
and it was gone.  
  
He looked back to the lake, which was draining in a   
swirling funnel into a crack in the earth, and then back at the   
trail of destruction left by the giant creature.  
  
He didn't move until nightfall.   
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"So did they approve the reconstruction?" Ritsuko asked   
Gendou as they rode the lift up from Terminal Dogma.  
  
"Seele agreed that it would be worth the effort providing   
we can prove that all traces of infection are gone."  
  
"They'll have to wait a day or so. We can't do much until   
the entire body can be transported here for study. However,   
our preliminary readings on the hand and head samples are   
promising."  
  
"What did you find?"  
  
"We still don't know where or when the infection   
occurred, any more than we know how the 11th angel got into   
Nerv, but the tissue samples are showing that the Angel's   
components were relying totally on the Eva's core for energy--  
apparently it had converted it to an S2."  
  
"Does this mean we have another S2 to study?"  
  
"I'm afraid not. Our running theory is that the reason the   
Angel went silent was that Unit One had pulverized the organ.   
Without it, the Eva went into suspended animation, and   
without the parasitic energy to sustain its life force the Angel   
died."  
  
"I see... how long before reconstruction of Unit Three can   
begin once conformation is received?"  
  
"That depends on the UN and the US. If we can get the   
spare parts shipped over then we can possibly have it in   
working order in less than three months. Unfortunately the   
Americans are still throwing a hissy fit over accusations that   
they sabotaged the Eva, and I don't know if they will be very   
cooperative."  
  
"I'll do what I can Doctor," he said as the door opened   
and he turned to leave, "Be sure to keep me updated on your   
progress."  
  
"Are we still on for this evening?" Ritsuko asked   
suddenly. Gendou paused and held the door open as he turned   
slightly to put her in his line of sight.  
  
"I have another meeting with Seele to approve the details   
we've been discussing just now... but I think we can arrange a   
few private hours for dinner."  
  
"I'm glad... we haven't had much time for us as of late."  
  
"Once the third angel arrived the concept of personal   
time became irrelevant. You of all people should understand   
that doctor."  
  
"Of course..." she said softly as Gendou got out, leaving   
her alone in the small empty space.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Nerv's security net was set to a specific frequency. This   
frequency was tuned to the harmonic emanations of an   
externalized Absolute Terror Field-- something only the Evas   
and Angels were capable of producing. So if either and Eva or   
an Angel were to power up and unfold its AT Field, the   
Observation center would detect it and sound the alarm all   
through Japan. All of the Angel's to date and utilized their AT   
Fields to travel through oceans, and to fly. Others had kept   
theirs unfolded for protection during their trek across Japan   
towards Tokyo Three.  
  
The fourteenth angel Zeurel apparently had a greater   
capacity to think than its brethren, because as it crashed and   
lumbered through the woodlands and valleys, it kept its AT   
Field tightly reigned in.   
  
Nerv would not detect it until it wanted them to.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Rei Ayanami was standing in front of Unit One when the   
sirens finally began to go off.   
  
She had been there most of the day in deep meditation.   
The problem went back to the battle, and it was causing her   
much distress. She had almost disobeyed orders twice now.   
The first time had been during the battle with the twelfth   
angel. After the Dirac Sea had swallowed Unit One Misato   
had ordered them to retreat, and she had come a hairs breath   
from insubordination.   
  
Now she had almost lost a battle because of hesitation.   
Had the dummy system not been as far along as it was they   
would all be dead now.   
  
It tore at her, because in a very real sense, she had never   
had anything but her job-- her purpose. It was the reason she   
existed, what some might accurately call her destiny. For her   
entire life she had believed she would be nothing without her   
purpose. Recently she had begun to doubt that, and it was   
frightening her. The idea that it was possible to have a life   
outside of Nerv was larger than she had anticipated, and the   
shear number of possibilities was truly overwhelming.   
  
Pilot Ikari had rejected Nerv, and was leaving... yet he   
seemed unafraid. In fact, he seemed to possess more   
conviction and confidence than she had seen in him since the   
day they had met. Major Katsuragi had arranged for him to   
stay in the same apartment for an indefinite amount of time,   
and that had also surprised Rei. She had only recently begun   
to understand why the Major had opted to have the other two   
pilots stay with her. At first she had believed it to be a training   
exercise, and the synch training had for a time seemingly   
confirmed that theory. After a time, however, Rei had realized   
that Misato seemed to enjoy having the two younger children   
around.   
  
It had started making more sense at that point. For   
months Rei had been feeling strange when she was by herself.   
This had been confusing because she had always enjoyed   
solitude in the past. Now this strange feeling only went away   
when she was around others. After a time she had identified   
the emotion, and realized that it was loneliness. When she was   
around others, particularly those she thought of as friends, she   
felt happy. She was slowly realizing that much of her life   
before the Angels had been lonely and joyless.   
  
She had realized in a flash of insight that the Major might   
have taken the children in because she was lonely.   
  
'Loneliness...' she thought, 'did I really feel this for so   
long and not know? Am I only now discovering a word to this   
emotion?'  
  
As she looked up at the monstrous face of Evangelion   
Unit One, she shuddered. It was not one of cold, or even of   
fear. She shuddered because she knew the truth behind the   
dummy system. She knew what was the template, and what   
had really fought so savagely against the thirteenth angel. She   
had shuddered in disgust.  
  
'Perhaps if Pilot Ikari is not afraid of facing a world   
without Eva... perhaps there might be some hope that I could   
someday do the same?'  
  
The very thoughts were treason. She knew all too well   
that Nerv would never allow her to leave its fold alive. She   
was too dangerous. But to hope and to wish for a way out...   
made her feel... happy.  
  
She did not have a chance to think much longer on this,   
because the alarms began to go off, waking her from her   
meditations.   
  
As she hurried to the locker room, she tossed another   
glance at Unit One... she would be piloting it this time out, and   
she wondered how long it would carry the smell of Pilot Ikari   
once she began using it exclusively...  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
As Auska haphazardly threw her Plugsuit on, a wild   
look was taking hold of her features. Ever since her   
conversation with Shinji the day before, something was   
coming loose in Asuka's carefully sealed vault of memories.   
She did not have time for that, and was fighting the memories   
back down. It had been one phrase that had done it-- one word   
specifically.   
  
[You can stay and be his doll if you want]  
  
[and be his doll]  
  
[his doll]  
  
[her doll]  
  
[the doll]  
  
[she thinks the doll--]  
  
"NO!" she growled as she sealed her Plugsuit, "I'm no   
one's doll, damn him! I'll show him that I'm not anyone's doll,   
I'll show them all..."  
  
But even as she ran out of the locker room to Unit Two,   
the thought began to resonate in her mind. A memory that she   
had tried to beat down and forget for almost eight years... an   
overheard conversation in a hospital ward...  
  
[she thinks the doll is her daughter....]  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
The explosion was what finally woke Shinji.   
  
He jumped to his feet and the ringing of the alert sirens   
made him realize that there was an attack going on. Looking   
out the window he saw Unit Two out in the Geofront setting   
up weapons as the ground shook around him. Whatever was   
attacking was powerful, and he had a sudden urge to race to   
the Cage. As he turned away from the window, he saw Hikari,   
and that urge fled in a wave of guilt and sorrow. There was   
nothing he could do that they couldn't do with their damned   
autopilot.   
  
'Let them handle it on their own,' he thought as he   
turned away from the window.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
The little bug Kaji had planted on his gift to Ritsuko had   
come in handy after all. He'd wondered for a time if she'd   
suspect that he had done it, but after several weeks of seeing   
her wear it and picking up the transmissions, he decided that   
either she hadn't found it... or Ikari truly didn't care what he   
discovered.   
  
As he listened to the third failed attempt to start Unit   
One, he chuckled. They'd done all but spit in Shinji's face,   
and now they were paying for it. If nothing else it might to   
teach Ikari a lesson on how to treat his staff... Assuming, of   
course, they all survived this. Had the situation not been so   
outrageously dire, he would have been laughing his head off.   
  
'It's a damn good thing I give a crap about the human   
race,' he thought as he made his way through the small woods   
behind the Medical center, 'otherwise I might not be so   
generous. Ikari better thank me later.'  
  
He did almost laugh at the mental image of Gendou Ikari   
behaving grateful towards _anyone_.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
The fighting had gotten to loud to ignore, and Shinji had   
finally walked to the window. He'd watched in horrid   
fascination as the Angel had descended from the ceiling of the   
Geofront and Unit Two had opened fire upon it. Round after   
round of rail gun, missile launcher, and even particle beams   
had seemingly done nothing to the Angel, who Shinji realized,   
had not even wavered in it's path. Finally the Angel came to a   
stop almost a kilometer from Unit Two, and did something   
with it's arms. Long thin bands of silver material shot out, and   
suddenly Unit Two's arms were flying through the air.  
  
There was a beat, and then a flood of purple fluid burst   
from the stumps that marked what remained of Unit Two's   
arms. Shinji shuddered as he realized that the purple fluid was   
the blood of Unit Two. The Eva writhed and shook as the pain   
took hold, and it was a strange sight to witness. It was trying   
to use limbs that were not there to curb the flow of blood.   
Suddenly it stopped, and looked back at the approaching   
angel.  
  
As Unit Two lowered its head and began to charge Shinji's   
eyes went wide.  
  
"Asuka! No!" he shouted as another swipe from the   
angel's arm weapons sent Unit Two's head somersaulting in   
his direction.  
  
It crashed less than a quarter of a mile away, and the   
impact caused him to loose his footing momentarily. When he   
once again stood and leaned against the window, he saw that   
the Angel was moving on toward the Nerv Pyramid.  
  
That was when the rock struck the window.  
  
He looked down, and saw Ryoyo Kaji waving from the   
ground with a grin on his face.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
He burst from the door and raced across the lawn to   
where Kaji was watching the battle rage on in the distance.   
The older man didn't seem to care that a stray round might   
strike them at any moment, or that giant creatures of flesh and   
metal were doing combat on the horizon.  
  
"Kaji?" he asked as he arrived, "what are you doing out   
here?"  
  
"That's my line," Kaji said with a chuckle, "I was just   
watering my melons when I decided I'd pay Miss Horaki a   
visit... the question is what are _you_ doing here?"  
  
"I told my father I'd never pilot Eva again," Shinji said   
with a touch or remorse, "so I was with Hikari when the fight   
started."  
  
"I see, well I suppose there is nothing wrong with   
wanting to be by the side of a loved one when you die."  
  
"W-what?" Shinji stammered, "what do you mean 'die'?"  
  
"It is said that if an Angel comes into contact with Adam,   
who sleeps beneath our very feet, the world will come to an   
end in the Third Impact."  
  
Shinji's eyes widened-- he'd never been told that.  
  
"Since it looks like that time was upon us," Kaji said as he   
put his hands in his pockets. He looked up at the Angel as the   
exploding shells went off all around it and continued, "I   
decided I'd pay a visit to Miss Horaki in order to thank her for   
her willingness to fight to prevent it. It's a shame, but it   
doesn't look like we'll make it through this one."  
  
"B-but why not? Where's Unit One?"  
  
As if on cue, Unit Zero rose from the ground and began   
racing towards the angel, it was cradling something in its   
single arm, and Shinji realized in a horrified flash that it was   
an N2 mine. As she raced the Eva up to the angel, the AT   
Field finally materialized and the geometric pattern shot out as   
a wall between them. Unit Zero Jammed the N2 mine before   
it, shoving it through t the AT Field and against the Angel,   
where it went off on contact.   
  
When the world stopped Shaking, and the smoke   
cleared, Shinji saw the Angel cut Unit Zero nearly in half and   
float past it as if it had never been any more than a nuisance.  
  
"As you can see, Unit One is being somewhat sulky,"   
Kaji said, "it refused to start for Rei, or even the dummy   
system. I would hazard to guess that there is only one person it   
would obey at this point... and I would imagine you know who   
that is."  
  
"I...I..." Shinji said, his mind pulled in two directions.  
  
"A couple hundred years ago someone said that 'to do   
nothing in the face of need is true evil'. I won't force you to do   
this Shinji, and no one could... it is in your hands. Think about   
it, think hard, and make your choice."  
  
There was a moment of silence, and for a second, Kaji   
began to worry... but only for a second  
  
"Do you have a car?" Shinji asked as his fist clenched.  
  
"Not here, but I could have that one running in about   
thirty seconds," he said nodding over to a jeep in the parking   
lot. Shinji nodded and they both began to run.   
  
Once the jeep was started, and they were on their way--  
Shinji turned to him.  
  
"Kaji.... You have to do something for me," he said.  
  
"Fire away," Kaji, said as he swung the jeep around a pile   
of debris.  
  
"If something happens to me... when Hikari wakes up...   
tell her I'm sorry, and that I was the one who was wrong. And   
tell her... Kaji... tell her I love her."  
  
Kaji nodded and urged the jeep to go faster.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
As the Geofront shook around him, Commander Ikari   
was in the Cage staring down at Unit One from the   
observation chamber.   
  
'Don't do this to me Yui,' he thought, 'not now, anytime   
but now!'  
  
He was so caught up in trying to _will_ the Evangelion   
to activate that he failed to notice his son racing across the   
umbilical bridge and grabbing a neural sensor off a rack. He   
didn't notice Shinji's presence until the boy threw the switch   
to eject the dummy plug.   
  
"What do you think you're doing?" he shouted down as   
the Eva's entry plug began to cycle into place. He would never   
admit it to anyone but he was equal parts furious and relived   
to see Shinji. Unfortunately, years of tempering and   
experience had hardened Gendou Ikari to the point that his   
voice, even at a shout, came out as harsh and cold as it had   
ever been.  
  
"No time!" Shinji shouted up at him. The boy was   
obviously out of breath... had he run there? "get her set!"  
  
"Why should I do that? You are no longer a member of   
this organization," Gendou said-- even as he canceled the   
activation signal to the dummy and reset the feed for a live   
pilot. The core data was still unformatted, but if what he   
suspected was true, that wouldn't matter.   
  
"Because I'm the Pilot of Unit One whether we like it or   
not," Shinji shot back with an almost sardonic tone. The Entry   
Plug cycled into the Eva and the eyes began to glow with a   
cold fury, "we'll just both have to live with that..." he   
whispered as Unit One erupted to life.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
When the wall exploded inward, Misato had at first   
thought that the Angel had missed.   
  
It had finally blasted its way through the final armored   
layers and had crashed into the Command and Control Center.   
Why it was pausing in its rampage to kill them was a mystery   
that would have to wait till later, when they weren't all about   
to die.   
  
Just as the Angel's eye had lit up to burn them all to   
nothingness, the wall had caved in and a giant purple blur had   
plowed into the angel like a runaway freight train. The noise   
was unbearable, and it alone cause at least two tech's to pass   
out (those who hadn't already done so were in route to the   
exits). She just barely regained her footing when she realized   
that their savior was Unit One.   
  
She looked over at Ritsuko and saw that the scientist   
was apparently just as clueless. It wasn't until the screaming   
began to come through the speakers that she realized that it   
was Shinji behind the controls.   
  
She didn't know why.   
  
She didn't know how.  
  
She didn't care.   
  
An overwhelming wave of pride washed over her like a   
tsunami as Unit One grabbed the Angel and threw it back into   
the cavernous hole in the wall.  
  
"Yuri! I want a direct link to the pilot yesterday!" She   
screamed at the new girl who had taken Maya's place at the   
bridge.  
  
As Yuri scrambled to comply Misato looked after the two   
giants, and for the first time since the entire ordeal began-- for   
the first time since the third angel-- Misato dared to hope that   
they would all live to see the end of this day.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Shinji barely understood that the hand the Angel had just   
blow off was not his. In fact he wasn't making many   
distinctions between him and the Eva any longer at that point.   
That small sliver of understanding disappeared as the pain hit.   
He let loose with a bloodthirsty scream and kicked the Angel   
in the chest, propelling it towards the lifts.   
  
That gave him an idea.  
  
He bent down and-- activating the shoulder thrusters--   
shot himself toward the still tumbling angel, slamming into it   
with the force of a small comet. They both went sailing out of   
the cage, and he didn't let up. Punching and kicking he drove   
the Angel backwards until the two slammed unto the wall, just   
below the third lift.  
  
"Misatooooo!" he screamed, praying that she understood   
what he was trying to do.   
  
Half a second later his prayers were answered and both he   
and the Angel were sent rocketing up the lift shoot. With a   
feral grin, he reached out and shoved the face of the Angel   
against the wall, trailing sparks and pieces of the angel behind   
them as the shot upwards.   
  
He didn't know how long it had taken, but suddenly they   
were both flying through the air, almost high enough to strike   
the roof of the Geofront. They came down halfway between   
the lake and the Nerv Pyramid, and Shinji immediately   
resumed his attack, kicking the angel over and leaping upon it.   
He suddenly understood Asuka's zeal for combat; it felt   
_good_ to cut loose!   
  
He pounded at its face again and again, then decided to try   
something else. Reaching down he gripped the face of the   
angel and began to pull. The flesh around the face stretched   
and pulled and as Shinji licked his lips in anticipation,   
something happened.  
  
It was if he had shrunk suddenly. He was no longer   
pulling at the Angel's head; he was no longer hundreds of feet   
tall. He was no longer connected to Eva Unit One.  
  
"No..." he whispered as he realized that the power reserved   
had been drained, "no, no, no, no, oh please no!"  
  
As the light all around him dulled, he screamed in   
impotent protest.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
The entire bridge crew burst from the elevator and out into   
the Geofront and were frozen in shock at what they saw.  
  
The Angel wrapped its thin paper-like arm around the   
head of Unit One and threw it across the Geofront. It sailed   
through the air and slammed into the pyramid with enough   
force to shake a damaged building from Tokyo Three's   
shattered structure above  
  
"Shiniiiijiiiiii!" Misato cried as Ritsuko typed franticly one   
handed on the laptop Yuri had brought up.  
  
"It's out of power," Ritsuko yelled as she went through   
sub system after sub system searching for a way into the Eva's   
system.  
  
As the Angel blasted the chest of Unit One open, Misato   
began to scream.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Move, move, move!" Shinji cried as he pressed every   
switch and button around him, "move you God damn piece of   
junk! Move! Oh God, You've got to move or everyone will   
die! Please! Oh I'm sick of it all... Please, you've got to move   
or there's no point to any of this-- so MOVE!"  
  
He could feel the pounding force of the angel's attack all   
around him. Strike after strike shook Unit One and each new   
blow brought sounds of metal tearing, and cracking. He could   
see hairline fractures spreading around him in the entry plug.   
As the tears flowed from his eyes and melted into the LCL, he   
grabbed the hand controls and slammed them forward,   
screaming for Unit one to move again.  
  
'It can't end like this,' he thought as the Evangelion shook   
again and again under the assault, 'this isn't right! This isn't   
fair! Someone... help me! Rei, Misato, Kaji, Asuka... Hikari....   
please oh please mother...'  
  
Suddenly a new sound came to his ears. It was slightly out   
of synch with the pounding of the Angel outside, but it was   
just as strong and just as steady.   
  
It was a heartbeat.  
  
'Oh God,' Shinji thought as he realized something he had   
only recently begun to suspect, 'mother?'  
  
There was a shimmering that seemed to come from his own   
body, and then... Shinji Ikari was one with Evangelion Unit   
One.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
It began with a flash of green from the eyes of Unit   
one, and suddenly, the tide was turned.  
  
As the Angel made its next strike, Unit One reached up   
and held out its hand as if it were a policeman stopping traffic.   
The razor thin material that had so effortlessly cut through the   
armor of both Eva Units Zero and Two was split into four   
ribbons as it met the outstretched fingers of Unit One.   
  
Taking a firm hold, Unit One gave a Herculean pull and   
the Angel was jerked forward. It crashed into the Eva face to   
revolting face-- Unit One's horn embedded in the hollow eye   
of the Angel. The restraining bolts holding Unit One's mouth   
shut shattered and a growl so deep the resonation was felt on   
the surface of Tokyo Three rumbled from the Eva's throat.   
  
The Eva's leg came up, and with a furious kick, the   
Angel flew across the Geofront where it skidded and tumbled   
before pushing itself upright with its one good arm.   
  
Unit One stood as well-- the torn arm of the angel in hand.   
It glanced down at the cauterized stump that remained of it's   
left arm and as sound that would have passed for annoyance   
had it been the size of a human shattered windows all around   
the Geofront Pyramid. It raised the Angel's arm to it's own   
stump and as the bridge crew of Nerv watched on in shock--   
the metallic material began to bubble and morph before their   
eyes.   
  
It bent and twisted as it grew, and in seconds a pale pink   
arm and hand were formed. It flexed its new limb as if to test   
it, then turned to the Angel.  
  
The Angel immediately lashed out with its remaining arm,   
but its attack was short lived.  
  
Unit One raked the air with a clawed hand, and a   
shimmering distortion raced across the Geofront. It shredded   
the razorpaper of the Angel's arm as it blasted past, and even   
the At Field of the Fourteenth angel was no match. The A T   
Field seemed to fall in two as the wave passed it, and those   
who were watching saw the body of the angel jerk backwards   
as if it had received a sharp blow to the chest. Its body seemed   
to bubble as its back erupted outward, and the Angel fell   
backwards to the floor of the Geofront  
  
Unit One let out a triumphant shriek that cause some of   
the techs who had arrived with Misato and the others to race   
back inside.   
  
Dropping to all fours in a disturbing mockery of an ape,   
Unit one made its way over to the dying angel. It gripped the   
face, and as a glow built up in it's eyes for one last blast, Unit   
one crushed the face of the angel in its hand.   
  
The battle was over, but Unit one was not done.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"What's happening Ritsuko?" Misato yelled at the blonde   
scientist, "what is it doing?" even then she somehow   
understood that it was no longer Shinji in control-- but   
whatever entity had taken over against the Third and Twelfth   
angels.  
  
Unit One was bent over the angel, and as it held the   
shattered face in it's hands, it looked around, as a predator   
who was afraid it's fresh prey would be stolen. It bent over   
and opened its mouth once more, and bit into the neck of the   
Angel.  
  
"It's... eating the angel?" Misato asked rhetorically as she   
fought not to throw up. Some of the bridge crew did not have   
her constitution.  
  
This was beyond a glitch in a system.  
  
This was beyond a simple mental instability in a pilot.  
  
This was not unlike a horror that Misato had not   
witnessed in almost sixteen years-- and it chilled her to the   
very core of her being.  
  
Eva Unit one was acting of it's own accord, and was   
behaving like a wild animal. It was standing and screaming in   
a voice that despite it's massive size was almost ... human. As   
it shrieked, the armored plates in its back and the wing-like   
restraints on its shoulders began to bulge and crack. The armor   
fell from the Eva as it looked around and growled.  
  
"She's breaking free!" Ritsuko cried as the Eva let out   
another roar.  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?" Misato shouted   
over the noise.  
  
"That armor wasn't just protection, they were also   
restraints," Ritsuko said as she watched Unit One in horrible   
fascination, "but now she is breaking the bonds that bent her to   
our will, now the beast within is finally free!"  
  
Misato looked back across the Geofront and began to feel   
very cold.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
When she came to, Hikari Horaki was frightened.   
  
The last thing she recalled clearly was waving to Touji's   
father from the entry plug of Unit Three. She knew that he   
couldn't see her, but she had done so anyway. Moments later   
there had been a flash of pain and everything from then until   
moments ago had been a long gray blur.   
  
She remembered hearing Shinji's voice screaming for his   
father to turn something off, she remembered a long series of   
voices discussing her situation, and through a confusing   
jumble of half remembered dreams she remembered Shinji's   
voice. It had been coming from somewhere nearby-- crying in   
regret and begging her to come back.   
  
As her eyes cleared she realized two things.   
  
One-- she was in a hospital. The room and her own attire   
made this easy to identify.   
  
Two-- she was on the floor.   
  
As she climbed to a sitting position and rubbed the   
aching spot on her arm where the IV had been pulled taunt,   
she tried to put it all together in her mind. She was sore and   
her body was weak, but she didn't seem to be severely injured.   
She climbed to a sitting position, and careful not to dislodge   
the IV any more, she looked out the window.   
  
What she saw made her gasp.  
  
The Eva's were scattered across the Geofront amongst an   
unbelievable amount of damage. There was also a large shape   
lying in a burnt out patch off to the far side. Unit Two was   
missing its arms and Unit Zero lay on the ground motionless.   
Far against the other side, Unit One was being lowered into an   
access shaft.  
  
Asuka...  
  
Rei...  
  
Shinji....  
  
What had happened?  
  
"Doctor, She's awake!" came a cry from the door, and   
Hikari looked to find a Nurse running up to her.  
  
"Um.. Nurse?" she asked as the woman methodically   
checked her for injuries, "could I have a phone?"  
  
"What?" the Nurse asked. After what had just happened   
she wasn't thinking straight, and the odd request had thrown   
her. As she picked up Hikari and set her back in the bed,   
Hikari repeated her request  
  
"I need to get a hold of Major Katsuragi, can I get a   
phone?"  
  
"No need sweetie," the nurse said in a comforting tone,   
"she should be arriving any moment, the other girls were just   
delivered and she demanded she be with them, I could let her   
know you want to talk to her, though."  
  
"Thanks," Hikari said as she looked back out at the   
battlefield. She didn't know much about war or battles, but it   
looked like Shinji had been well enough to at least make it   
back to the Cage. She hoped he was ok... she needed to talk to   
him now more than ever.   
  
'Why did I do that to him? What was I trying to prove by   
keeping it from him? Was I even thinking at all?'  
  
She pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin   
on her arms. At the time she'd thought it would be best to just   
go ahead and join then surprise him with the news. It had been   
a silly childish idea, but for some reason at the time she'd   
thought it would be at fun way to show him that she was ready   
to forgive him.   
  
She didn't know how long she sat like that, but after a   
time, the door opened and her father was running up to her   
with tears in his eyes.  
  
"Hikari, oh thank God!" he cried as he wrapped his arms   
around his daughter.  
  
"Daddy!"  
  
He didn't say a word at first-- he just held her and cried.   
Finally he spoke up  
  
"I thought I'd lost you," he said, "they called me from the   
lab and told me what happened and I've been here for most of   
the past couple of days."  
  
"You've been here the whole time?" Hikari asked in   
surprise.  
  
"Well not the _whole_ time," he said, "Pilot Ikari was here   
until just before the attack, he told me to go get some sleep...   
and I did-- for a change--until the sirens started going off."  
  
"Shinji was here..." she said, half to herself, "where is he?   
The nurse told me that Asuka and Rei were hurt..."  
  
"I don't know, they just let us out of the shelters, but I'm   
sure I can find out, I have a few collogues in this hospital from   
the academy."  
  
"Not necessary Mr. Horaki," came an exhausted voice   
from the door, "Asuka and Rei are going to be fine."  
  
"Misato!" Hikari exclaimed-- happy to see her   
commanding officer was alright," What happened to your   
arm?" she asked as she saw the cast under Misato's jacket.  
  
Misato looked down at her damaged limb and shrugged,   
"don't worry about it, just a scratch. Ritsu will have it back up   
to speed in no time. Have the doctors spoken with you yet? To   
catch you up I mean."  
  
"No... I don't even know what week it is," Hikari said   
with a shake of her head, "what happened out there Misato? Is   
everyone alright?"  
  
"That's kind of a hard question to answer," Misato said   
grimly.  
  
Hikari looked at her father and then back at Misato.  
  
"Where is Shinji?" she asked.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Asuka and Rei are under heavy sedation until we can   
repair the feedback damage," Misato explained as a nurse   
wheeled Hikari thought Central Dogma's labarith. The doctors   
had released her at her father's insistence, but had demanded   
that she spend most of the next day in the chair until they did   
some final tests. Her father had kissed them both goodbye and   
gone home to check in on the other two Horaki girls.  
  
He had stopped at the door to tell Hikari some thing   
important though, "I'm proud of you Hikari," he'd said, "be   
careful out there."  
  
As they made their way down another corridor, Misato   
continued, "their Evas took heavy damage in this fight and   
Asuka took the brunt of it."  
  
"Is that what happened to me?" Hikari asked   
  
"I think its similar, but don't quote me on it," Misato   
replied, "Ritsuko's the expert on this kind of thing."  
  
"So what about Shinji? You said they lost contact with   
him?"  
  
"After Unit One reactivated... we lost most of the interior   
feed. Yuri says she can rig something up, but we wont be able   
to get to him for a while, the cage is a wreck and... well, we're   
having some trouble with Unit One."  
  
"Isn't that kind of redundant after what you described?"  
  
"I didn't go into much detail... some of it's classified   
already."  
  
"I don't understand... Unit One's reactivated like this   
before, right?"  
  
"Not _exactly_ like this..."  
  
"But Shinji's OK... right?"  
  
" . . . "  
  
"Misato, he's _OK_ _right_?"  
  
"We don't know."  
  
"What do you mean? Misato don't look away like that,   
please, what do you mean?"  
  
"I don't even know Hikari, Ritsu wont elaborate, she just   
said that she could not comment on his status."  
  
"Misato?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I... I didn't mean to...." Hikari began to cry, and Misato   
stopped and held her until the sobs resided.  
  
"You alright now?"  
  
"I... I'm sorry... it'' just that he must have been so hurt   
when I wouldn't talk to him, and if something's happened to   
him then he... he still thought I was mad. I didn't mean to hurt   
him again... I just wanted to... I don't know what I wanted to   
do." Hikari shook her head, "why did I do that Misato? Why   
did I?"  
  
"Hikari," Misato said, "sometimes we screw up. I wish I   
could put it better than that, but it's to basic a concept.   
Everyone screws up from time to time, especially in maters of   
the heart. When we get hurt inside we start to get... paranoid I   
guess. Way back when I was at the academy in Germany I   
made my biggest screw up, and it took me almost eight years   
to make up for it. But listen-- the good news is that you and   
Shinji still have a shot at beating this... and I want you to   
know that I'm rooting for the two of you."  
  
"Thank you..." Hikari said as she wiped away another tear.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Ok, I think that might be it," Yuri said as she closed the   
slot on the radio kit and set down the soldering tool. They   
were in what remained of the sixth cage, and were stacking a   
series of computers, monitors and radio equipment in hopes   
that they could set up a temporary base of operations until the   
Magi could be assessed and rebooted.  
  
"You really think this will work?" Makoto asked her, "we   
couldn't get anything out of the main system."  
  
"Well I'm not promising anything major, but I was still   
getting transmissions on the laptop after the Control room was   
trashed, so I think this might get us _something_."  
  
"Where did you learn all of this, I thought your   
specialties were bioengineering and computer operations."  
  
"A relative of mine used to work at a radio station, and I   
used to go with him and help him out at work, I picked most   
of this up from him."  
  
"Well it's good work, we might not be able to get the   
plug working yet, but at least we can make sure Shinji's okay   
in there."  
  
Behind them, the door opened and Misato wheeled Hikari   
into the room. The nurse had been forced to stay back in the   
waiting room  
  
"Hey guys, what's the up?"  
  
"We're just about to hack into the Evas broadcast   
network," Aoba said from his place at the jury-rigged console.  
  
"We can do that?" Misato asked-- impressed that they had   
gotten so far so soon.  
  
"If we can pick out the right frequency we can," Yuri said   
as she keyed up her programs, "I think I can isolate the   
transmission and get us and internal picture of the entry plug."  
  
"Can we talk to him?" Hikari asked.  
  
"Not now, this is only set up to receive, but once we find   
the frequency we might be able to whip something up."  
  
They all crowded around the monitor as the program   
began to run, and after a few seconds an indicator began to   
flash. Yuri typed in a few commands and shortly an image   
flashed upon the screen.  
  
All of them but Hikari gasped at what they saw; she was   
too deep into shock to respond for the moment.   
  
On the screen was the image of Unit One's Entry Plug.   
  
Other than a set of clothes and a neural transmitter, it was   
empty.  
  
  
[]=================[]  
To Be Continued...  
[]=================[]  
  
  
Authors Incoherent Babbling  
  
  
Weeee!!!!! Sorry for the delay, but things have been a little   
busy in the personal life dept. and I had a few other things to   
work on besides TWS. One of them is Unreal-- which most of   
you know about. Another thing is that I've joined a anime club   
called the Anime Heretics   
(http://throkda.tripod.com/index.html ) and had a little project   
there to work on for the newsletter (check out the art credits   
on the little cartoon ^_^) also they've begun serializing TWS   
^_^   
  
Not only that, but I have a TOP SECRET non Eva fanfiction   
project that might be ready for announcing soon... I'd tell you   
more but I just don't have the time to hunt y'all down and kill   
ya. ^_^   
  
Speaking on non Eva works, I'm still tinkering with that El   
Hazard fic that's been sitting there forever-- if TWS hadn't   
come along it'd be done by now ^_^ also, there's a Cowboy   
Bebop fic that's almost half done. Not to mention an original   
series for my site called Year of the Dragoon that I'm still   
working on outlining. So, you can see that I've been busy ^_^  
  
Some of you may remember that there was a scene I was   
going to insert in the original draft with Rei and the dummy   
plug's failed activation's... I'm still thinking about putting it in   
there, but the problem is that I don't want to waste kb with   
stuff from the original timeline that isn't altered at this point in   
the game, and I don't have much in mind that I could change   
with that scene. So for now just assume it went about as badly   
as it did the other time ^_^  
  
Well, I've rambled enough,   
  
LOVE AND PEACE!!!  
  
  
Hotwire  
Chain Lightning Studios  
http://www.chainlightningstudios.com  
  
  



	7. Part Seven

  
Chain Lightning Studios Presents  
Together We Stand Book Two  
Divided We Fall  
By T. L. Webb  
  
  
  
Hello?  
Is there anybody in there?  
Just nod if you can hear me  
Comfortably Numb  
Pink Floyd, The Wall  
  
  
[]=======================[]  
Book Two, Part Seven  
[]=======================[]  
  
  
  
Somewhere in the tangled network of the Earth's electronic   
communications system, a meeting was taking place between   
members of an organization that did not officially exist. The group   
members had changed over time, but the goals and name remained.   
They were collectively known as Seele to those who were granted   
audience, and even the members did not truly know one another's   
identities. Only the chairman-- Lorenz Keel-- had ever been seen   
outside of these electronic meetings.  
  
In these meetings, fates of entire nations were decided. It had   
been Seele who had been ultimately responsible for Second   
Impact. Their funding had sponsored Dr. Katsuragi's theories and   
research. Their funding had sponsored his expedition to Antarctica   
to investigate the so-called 'white moon' that had been discovered   
deep in the snow-filled wasteland. It had been at their urging that   
he'd proceeded with the experiment that had awakened the First   
Angel-- their only miscalculation.  
  
That setback had not, however, hindered their ultimate goal--   
the Human Instrumentality Project-- in the slightest. They had   
assessed their losses, salvaged what they could, and had proceeded   
with their contingency plan.   
  
It had been one of the guiding bylaws of Seele to _always_   
have a contingency plan. So heavily worked into what some   
considered Seele's charter was that rule that a twentieth century   
scientist named Murphy had made famous. In fact, some rumors   
held that he had once been a member. Whether or not this was true,   
something had now happened that no one had prepared for. It was   
unexpected and to Seele-- whose decisions and policies were ruled   
with an iron hand by the predictions of the Dead Sea Scrolls--it   
was the closest they'd come to total disaster since the turn of the   
century.  
  
The popular saying that was referred to as 'Murphy's Law'   
stated that "what can go wrong, will go wrong". It was a rule that   
was considered dogma in the fields of engineering, and Seele held   
it in at least as high regard.   
  
But how do you prepare for something that is not even   
suspected to be possible? How do you write contingency for the   
inconceivable? The latest event in the ongoing angel war had   
proved to be so unexpected, so far off the course of their plan, that   
for the first time in centuries... Seele was feeling a creeping sliver   
of the fear of failure.   
  
"This is not possible!" the French representative practically   
yelled, "an Evangelion can _not_ generate and S2 organ! Its   
impossible I tell you!"  
  
"Impossible?" the German replied with a sneer, "Many would   
consider the entirety of project E and the instrumentality program   
impossible. One more impossible thing amongst so many means   
nothing. The scales we are playing with have rendered the term   
obsolete."  
  
"This is true..." another said, "we simply never considered that   
an Eva would attempt to ingest an Angel. Without considering the   
possibility, we can never consider the consequences. This was a   
dangerous oversight on our part."  
  
"Events are straying too far from the scenario we planed,"   
another said, "I do not care for unanticipated surprises such as this.   
Given the response to this event, I do not believe we can handle   
many more of these grievous alterations to the plan."  
  
"_I_ believe this is the result of granting Ikari so much leeway.   
Far too much of the program was entrusted to him."  
  
"Please remember that we had no choice at the time," Keel   
replied with a frown, "he was the only one available who truly   
understood his wife's theories. Our mistake was allowing him to   
retain control for this long. Now it is too late to consider an   
alternative... we must find out if he has planed this deviation from   
our scenario or if it is merely coincidence. But this is not just about   
Evangelion Unit One."  
  
"Agreed," the Canadian said, "serious damage was dealt to   
Units Two and Zero, and the Headquarters itself was nearly   
destroyed. Our defenses are down to almost nothing. Should   
another Angel attack before repairs can be implemented... we do   
not stand a chance."  
  
"There are no scales to estimate how much time and money   
this will cost us," the American member grumbled.  
  
"This happened because we did not bell the cat."  
  
"No, the bell was there on Ikari's neck, it simply did not ring."  
  
"A bell that does not ring has no purpose," Keel said grimly,   
"next time we shall insure it works."  
  
The council was unanimous in that regard.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"I know Wondergirl is ok," Asuka screamed from her room,   
"now leave me _alone_!"  
  
Misato sighed and wandered back to the kitchen. It had been   
two days since the battle and she worn out in body and soul. They   
had survived the battle, but she somehow didn't feel they had really   
won. All three Eva's were inoperable, and the second wave was   
still hung up in the limbo of the UN's red tape. And then there was   
the mater of the pilots themselves...  
  
If she had a choice in the mater, she would say that Rei alone   
was fit to be piloting at the moment. Hikari might be, but she had   
been refusing to speak with anyone ever since she'd seen the inside   
of Unit One's entry plug. Misato didn't consider herself an expert   
on such maters, but something about the girl's attitude wasn't   
meshing with what the psychologists were saying. They insisted   
that it was some type of posttraumatic stress, or a case of survivor's   
guilt. Misato thought that Hikari was simply hurt and didn't want   
people telling her how she should feel. Misato had done that for   
the last month or two of her own experience with what she thought   
that Americans so appropriately referred to as the 'head shrinkers.'  
  
When she'd finally come out of her shell the doctors had   
swarmed her, telling her she shouldn't feel this, or she should feel   
that-- and it had just plain pissed her off. She'd shut up, and for   
another three months refused to speak. Not because she couldn't,   
but because she was tired of people telling her that what she'd seen   
didn't exist, or that it had, but not as she remembered it. No one   
back then had believed her story of the giant of light, and it hadn't   
been until the academy had requited her that she'd discovered that   
there was a PR campaign the likes of which the world had not seen   
since before the turn of the century going on.   
  
Officially, the Giant of light and the angels hadn't existed   
until the third had arrived in Tokyo Three... and even then it wasn't   
until the press leaks over the internet that Nerv had begun to   
slowly release pieces of the truth.   
  
It still pissed her off that they'd tried to manipulate her like   
that, but on the other hand she knew far too much about Nerv to try   
to deny that such steps had been necessary. Had the public known   
back then there would have been a panic and the Evas would never   
have been finished in time. Too many resources would have been   
diverted to other projects, and they would have been woefully   
unprepared for the third angel.  
  
So she understood Hikari's refusal to speak to the doctors. She   
just hoped that they were the only one's she was refusing   
acknowledgement.  
  
Concerned for the new pilot, and tired of yelling through   
Asuka's door, she grabbed the phone and dialed up the Horaki   
house.   
  
"Hello," Nozomi answered, "for those of you who are just   
tuning in, everyone here is a crazy person."  
  
"Hi Nozomi," Misato said as she fought back a giggle, "is   
Kodama there?"  
  
"Yeah, she's standing watch at Hikari's room."  
  
"Is Hikari still giving everyone the silent treatment?"  
  
"Only the ones who keep bugging her about it, she and I talked   
all last night. She's sleeping now."  
  
"... Did she talk to Kodama?"  
  
"Yeah for about two seconds-- then Kodama tried to chew her   
out on her decision to pilot and Hikari threw her the sub zero."  
  
"Oh... could you give Kodama a message?"  
  
"Sure, let me get a pen.... Okay, shoot."  
  
"Ask her to meet me at the happy times diner off of East   
Sakura Street tomorrow night at nine, I need to talk with her."  
  
"Not a problem, I'll let her know."  
  
"Thanks Nozomi, and look after Hikari."  
  
"Will do, see ya."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
The next afternoon Misato went down to the temporary   
workstation that had been assembled for the project to save Shinji   
Ikari. Misato still found it amazing that such a thing were possible,   
but Ritsuko had preformed far more amazing miracles with the   
technology at her disposal since Misato had joined Nerv. If anyone   
could save Shinji it was her... the question was, would Shinji be   
happy to return to an even stronger sort of bondage to Nerv than   
before? Unit one would apparently operate for no one but him. It   
was something that she thought of with a mix of ironic amusement   
and great sadness.  
  
"How goes the salvaging project?" she asked Ritsuko as she   
ducked under a cable.  
  
"Well," Ritsuko answered a bit hesitantly, "we've determined   
that what might be referred to as Shinji's life force definitely still   
exists in the entry plug."  
  
"Humph, will you be respecting that life when he gets back?"  
  
"Cheap shots are below you Misato," Ritsuko shot back with   
an annoyed roll of the eyes-- for a moment Misato was reminded   
of their collage days, "besides, we have no choice this time,   
loosing Shinji now is out of the equation. We _must_ get him   
back."  
  
"I don't know Ritsu... all Nerv wants is Unit One as a tool, they   
don't care about him, his life or his dreams."  
  
"I don't deny we've been using him Misato... but what's this   
about dreams?"  
  
"You're still stuck on my first reports about him aren't you?"   
Misato said with a sad smile, "Shinji'd been studying Music for last   
few weeks before the thirteenth angel... he wants to be a   
composer."  
  
"Rather unrealistic considering..."  
  
"Go to hell Ritsuko, if dreaming of a future allows him to get   
through this nightmare we're living then let him, I can't believe   
you'd--"  
  
"OK, OK, down girl! I see your point."  
  
"Good, so what is our progress?"  
  
"Our running theory is that Shinji's body has lost its Ego   
border and is drifting in the plug in quantum form."  
  
"Hold on, I think I actually stayed awake for that class....   
You're saying that Shinji's still in there, but the form he's in can't   
be detected visibly?"  
  
"Close enough. The LCL's components in the plug have been   
altered at a chemical level. Our readings are showing that it's very   
similar in nature to... what you could call a primordial soup."  
  
"Ok, I'm still with you."  
  
"Hmm, you really did stay awake... or did you just read Kaji's   
notes for the test?"  
  
"H-how did? What?"  
  
"Of course, he did copy those off of mine so it only makes   
sense that you'd remember it properly."  
  
"Oh shut up and keep talking."  
  
"I'll ignore the oxymoron. Anyway, the point is that all the   
materials that make up Shinji are still in the plug. What could be   
called a soul exists inside as well-- as you can see the spare   
Plugsuit we injected has been holding a vague human shape."  
  
"So how do we help him?"  
  
"Saving him means we have to reconstruct his body and soul   
from a genetic level."  
  
"We can do that?"  
  
"With the Magi's help we can."  
  
"But you're just talking in theory aren't you," Misato said as   
she placed a hand on the monitor showing the plug's interior, "you   
don't really know what will happen, do you?"  
  
Ritsuko wouldn't answer that, neither would she meet Misato's   
eye.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"I'm going to the restaurant," Kodama told Nozomi," dad   
promised to be home in an hour, so you wont be alone here long."  
  
"Of course not silly," Nozomi replied, "Hikari's here."  
  
"... Right, well, I need to go."  
  
"Don't be late because you're worried about us. I keep telling   
you Hikari might not be 'fine' but she's not as screwed up as   
everyone keeps saying she is. Now _go_ already!"  
  
"Um... OK," Kodama said trying to fight off another wave of   
annoyance at her sister's ability to see straight to the root of most   
problems that confounded most other people. She shook her head   
and was about to open the door when the bell rang.  
  
Startled, she looked through the spyhole and saw a scruffy   
looking man with a ponytail standing at the door. She put the chain   
on and opened the door a crack. He looked familiar, but she   
couldn't quite place him  
  
"May I help you sir?"  
  
"I certainly hope so," he replied in a friendly voice that almost   
made her forget she had only just met him, "is this the Horaki   
residence?"  
  
"Um, yes it is," she replied as she found her heart rate   
increase slightly-- despite the man's scruffy appearance and   
rumpled suit, he was devastatingly handsome.  
  
"Oh good, I was afraid I'd stumbled upon the home of a   
Goddess," he said with the most charming delivery she'd ever   
heard of such a cheesy line, "my name is Kaji, and if I'm not   
mistaken we met at Miss Katsuragi's promotion party?"  
  
"Oh that's right!" Kodama said. She barely remembered the   
evening past all the alcoholic haze, but she vaguely remembered   
meeting him. She opened the door and invited him in, "what can   
we do for you Mr. Kaji?"  
  
"Well, it concerns your sister," he said, "Shinji asked me to   
give her a message if something happened to him, and it looks like   
I'll need to deliver it."  
  
"I... she... I don't know..."  
  
"I understand if it's a bad time, I could come back later if   
necessary."  
  
"Well it's not exactly that, I'm about to leave to meet Misato   
for diner."  
  
"Oh, well I could give you a lift, I won't be long and the cabs   
in this town always take the long way to run up the fare."  
  
"Well.... OK, but she might not talk to you..."  
  
"I've heard. The doctors are more than a little put out because   
she stopped mid way through the third session. It's outside their   
profile data so naturally they are at a loss to explain."  
  
"Er... okay, well her room is this way."  
  
"Thank you"  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
When he opened the door he saw Hikari sitting by the window.   
She was leaning against the windowsill with one hand propping up   
her face. He thought about announcing his presence, but suddenly   
the younger Horaki was beside him tugging on his sleeve. He   
glanced down at her and saw her shaking her head 'no'.   
  
"Ok, what then?" he whispered.  
  
"Go over and sit down on the other side of the window, she'll   
talk to you if she wants to."  
  
"Great," he muttered as he walked over and did just that.  
  
Nozomi left the room, but he heard her dragging a chair down   
the hall and understood that he wasn't really being left alone. He   
shrugged it off and looked out the window. Across the city, the sun   
was setting and the reflections off the buildings were making   
everything seem unreal-- like something out of a painting. As the   
sun dipped below the mountains in the distance, he was startled by   
the voice beside him.  
  
"Do you think they know what it's really like?" Hikari asked.  
  
Thinking for a moment, he made a guess at her topics and   
answered as vaguely as he could.  
  
"I doubt most of them know, but a few might suspect."  
  
"I remember that first month... none of us understood, he told   
us and we saw it, but we didn't understand. I don't think I really   
understood until now."  
  
Kaji was silent, he hoped she'd let him know what exactly she   
was talking about. He suspected, but messing up at that moment   
would be counterproductive.   
  
"Shinji always told us he hated it, I don't think most of us   
believed it. I kind of did, after the second fight, after seeing what   
he was going through I started to understand."  
  
"When did you finally understand in full?" he asked, although   
he felt he already knew the answer.  
  
"It was when Dr. Akagi asked me to be pilot," she said, "I   
realized that I was being offered the choice, and that if I chose not   
to pilot someone might die."  
  
"Because of your projected synch rate?"  
  
"Yes, they said that someone with a lower one would be   
more at risk. I've never really thought of myself as someone who   
could fight... but I got to thinking that I didn't believe Shinji was   
that type either when I first met him."  
  
"Shinji has a passion and drive that he buries deep within, but   
it's there. I might be out of line saying so Hikari, but you have a   
similar passion, only not as hidden."  
  
"It didn't do much good though... what good is my being a   
pilot if this is the result?"  
  
"Hikari, I know how this sounds, but believe me, your   
decision had little to do with what's happened."  
  
"Bullshit," she spat out bitterly  
  
"No, it's not, I can't tell you much, but there are things going   
on in Nerv that have brought things to this point, and they would   
have achieved their goals with or without you as pilot."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"I can't tell you. Not because I don't want to, but because I'm   
still learning the shape of what is going on myself. But trust me on   
this, what happened to Shinji was not your fault."  
  
"But how can I keep piloting if I know that I'm working for   
someone who wants things like this to happen?"  
  
Kaji smiled and shook his head, "Shinji and I had a similar   
discussion just before the battle... I'll tell you what I told him. This   
is larger than any of us; we're fighting to survive. Mankind is on   
the brink and if we do not defend this city we will be wiped out."  
  
"But... if there is something dark behind Nerv... how can I   
keep working for them? I don't want to be a party to this!"  
  
"It's a choice of two evils, Hikari, but I want to point out that   
if you stay, you at least have a chance to alter the outcome... if you   
leave then it's all over. Shinji had the same choice, and he chose to   
stay.  
  
"And look where it got him," she said as tears rose to her eyes.  
  
"HEY," Kaji said sharply, "this isn't over yet, there is still a   
chance-- however small- that they can save Shinji. Don't give up   
on him.... Oh and I almost forgot something."  
  
"W--what?"  
  
"Just before the battle, Shinji asked me to tell you this in the   
event that he could not. Hikari, he is truly sorry for what happened,   
I've seen the sincerity in his eyes and I believe him. He wanted me   
to tell you that he was wrong in what he did... and one last thing."  
  
" . . . "  
  
"He loves you Hikari. He didn't fight to save all those people   
out there who you're wondering about. He didn't fight for Rei,   
Asuka, Misato or his father. He fought for two things. He fought   
for himself, and he fought for you."  
  
Her eyes widened, and as he stood to leave, she caught his   
arm.   
  
"Thank you," she said through the tears.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Um... Mr. Kaji? Is this safe?" Kodama asked about half an   
hour later as they raced down East Sakura. A mile back they had   
made a turn and had ended up alongside Misato. She didn't quite   
know how or why, but the two had suddenly decided it was a good   
time to start a drag race. As she gripped the seat with white-  
knuckled hands, she prayed that they knew what they were doing.  
  
"Absolutely," Kaji replied far too calmly as he whipped his   
red Alfa Romeo around a slower car and back alongside Misato's   
blue Renault Alpine, "we used to do this all the time back in   
collage.... The autobahn was one of the major attractions to the   
academy for both of us. Of course, there was a lot less traffic back   
then."  
  
'Heeeeelp?' she thought as the approached the restaurant with   
no signs of slowing. She looked over at Kaji, then back out the   
window at Misato, and was deeply worried to see they both wore   
an identical maniacal grin, 'I am going to die.'  
  
At the last moment both cars hit their brakes and Kaji threw   
the gearshift into reverse as he cranked the wheel. The car spun   
and as it did she caught a brief glimpse of Misato's car pulling a   
similar stunt nearby. Slamming her eyes closed she hoped they   
weren't about to crash.  
  
When her breathing finally returned to normal, she opened her   
eyes and found that Misato's car was parked just in front of Kaji's.   
Both were parallel parked facing the same way, and other than the   
smell of burnt rubber there wasn't so much as a clue that they had   
been a slight miscalculation from a twisted pile of metal.   
  
Outside, both Kaji and Misato were hugging and laughing   
their heads off. Kodama climbed out of the car and unsteadily   
made her way over to them.  
  
"yes!" Misato said with a loud shriek of excitement, "We   
haven't done that in--"  
  
"Eight years," Kaji said, flashing his ever-present grin, "just   
before we came back from spring break."  
  
"Thanks, Kaji, I needed that."  
  
"I kind of figured a little nostalgia might help get you out of   
this funk."  
  
"Getting Shinji back will get me out of this funk, but the   
adrenaline rush went a long way toward cheering me up, thanks   
Kaji."  
  
"Anytime, I'll leave the two of you to whatever business you   
have, see you in a few days."  
  
"Ok, you be careful," Misato said as Kaji climbed back into   
his car and drove off at a legal pace.  
  
"Um... are you two always like that?" Kodama asked.  
  
"Huh? Oh, no we haven't done anything like that since the   
academy, sorry if we frightened you."  
  
"Well, only a little, next time warn me so I can take some   
Dramamine."  
  
Misato giggled, and after giving up on her 'stern' look   
Kodama started as well. When they got themselves under a bit of   
control, they went inside.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
The doorbell had been ringing for over five minutes, and as   
much as Asuka wanted to ignore it, it was starting to get on her   
nerves. Storming out of her room, she crossed the kitchen and   
stomped down the hallway to the foyer. She tossed the door open   
and spat out what could only vaguely be considered a greeting.  
  
"_What_?"  
  
Rei blinked and took a step back from the angry German. She   
suddenly understood why some of the males in her class feared the   
Second Child.   
  
"I-- I wish to speak with Major Katsuragi," she said--   
surprised at the hesitation in her voice.  
  
"Misato isn't here, probably wont be back till late," Asuka said   
as she turned and walked back inside, leaving the door open.  
  
Rei was unsure of whether or not to consider this an   
invitation, but she decided to enter anyway. In the unusual state   
that her fellow pilot was in, it was possible that she was mistaken   
about the location of the Major. Following the hall into the kitchen,   
she found the Second Child rummaging through the refrigerator. A   
quick glance at the living room revealed that Major Katsuragi was   
not home, her door was open slightly, and there was no light from   
behind it.  
  
"Sorry there isn't anything to drink," she told Rei, "but it's   
Shinji's night to shop and things are all screwed up without him   
here to do the drudge work."  
  
"Why do you speak of him so angrily?" Rei asked. This state   
that the second was in was intriguing.  
  
"Why not? He's a little showoff. Waits till we get pounded   
into the mud then charges in on a white horse and saves us wittle   
helpwess goils," she clasped her hands to her breast and fluttered   
her eyelashes so emphasize the point.  
  
"I do not believe his return had anything to do with bravado."  
  
"How would you know Wondergirl?"  
  
"I viewed the security tapes earlier today from the cage that   
night. He did not seem proud or happy about--"  
  
"Why the hell would you want to watch those?" Asuka asked,   
cutting her off.  
  
"I was ... curious to see how he activated Unit One when it   
would not activate for myself or the dummy system."  
  
"Didja learn anything?" Asuka asked as she wandered into the   
living room and practically threw herself down onto the cushions   
in the middle of the room.  
  
"Only that Unit one has a stronger bond with Ikari that I   
believed."  
  
"Right, so where is the fungus anyway?"  
  
"Major Katsuragi did not tell you?"  
  
"She probably did, but I've been ignoring her."  
  
"I do not understand. Why would you do such a thing?"  
  
"None of your business Wondergirl, so you were saying?"  
  
"Pilot Ikari is one with Evangelion Unit One."  
  
"Huh? Whoa, hold on a second, what do you mean by that."  
  
"He has lost the border of his Ego, and bonded with the Eva."  
  
"I'm not following, what do you mean?"  
  
"I... I do not know how else to explain."  
  
"Well it figures, the little twit."  
  
"Does it not bother you that Shinji is in danger?"  
  
"Humph, let me tell you something Ayanami, Superboy   
might be a little fungus, but he has an annoying habit of winning.   
Why should I worry?"  
  
"I see..."  
  
"Whatever, I'm off to bed, if you want to talk to Misato I'd   
suggest catching her at work, and lock the door on your way out."  
  
Asuka got up, and walked to her room, leaving Rei alone in the   
living room. As she did as asked and left, she realized something.  
  
'I have never referred to Pilot Ikari as Shinji before just now...   
what does that mean?'  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"I didn't know," Kodama said quietly as she and Misato talked   
over dinner, "why didn't they tell us any of this when they drafted   
Hikari?"  
  
"I just found out about the whole Adam thing a few weeks ago   
Kodama. Something isn't right-- I know that, but someone has to   
fight this fight."  
  
"I don't like it..."  
  
"Well let me tell you something my father used to say."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"There is no call so noble that it will not attract assholes."  
  
"Ok, I guess you have a point, but I still don't like it."  
  
"Neither do I, but as long as there is a chance of winning I'm   
going to fight."  
  
"I admire that Misato, I just wish it wasn't my sister in the   
trenches."  
  
"N.I.M.B.Y." Minato said with a chuckle.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Oh, it's this American term I heard at the academy, it's an   
acronym for Not In My Back Yard. People will agree to all kinds   
of crazy things until it affects them directly."  
  
"... I see... you're right I guess, but that doesn't change the   
whole thing with Shinji."  
  
"Kodama? Let me ask you something."  
  
"Shoot."  
  
"If Kaji started making a passes at you, how long do you think   
you could resist?"  
  
"Not very long, he's a charmer to the core."  
  
"Even if you had a boyfriend?"  
  
"I want to say yes... but I don't know. I don't think I'd cheat   
on anyone though."  
  
"Shinji's been living in close quarters with Asuka for months,   
quite frankly I wasn't surprised at the kiss, just when it happened."  
  
"But that's the thing, he kissed her! She might have started   
it... but he let her, and tried to hide it."  
  
"He's barely spoken to Asuka ever since. I would bet a year's   
pay that he won't even look at another girl for months after he and   
Hikari get back together, and he wont ever stray again."  
  
"If they get back together."  
  
"Kodama, do they have a classic literature at your school?"  
  
"Yeah,"  
  
"Ever read Romeo and Juliet?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I'd bet that you'd have about as much luck as their parents   
keeping the two apart."  
  
"Oh."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Hikari?" Kensuke almost shouted as he lowered his camera.   
He hadn't expected to see Hikari back in school so soon-- or at all   
for that mater.   
  
"Hi Kensuke," she said, "how are you?"  
  
"Um... I'm okay I guess, but what about you? When did you   
wake up? Why didn't you call us? We've been worried about you   
guys! None of the Pilots have been back in class except Rei and all   
she'll ever tell me is that 'it's classified'!"  
  
"It probably is, there is a lot of stuff going on Kensuke...   
where's Touji?"  
  
"Well that kinda why I've been trying to get a hold of   
someone... his father was at the testing center when it went up."  
  
Hikari's eyes widened as she remembered waving to Mr.   
Suzuhara just before the Eva had gone berserk. She grabbed hold   
of the desk to steady herself as she took that in. The memory had   
been there the whole time, she'd actually thought of the incident   
just after she woke up, but she hadn't made the connection until   
Kensuke had said something.  
  
"Oh no," she whispered as Kensuke jumped up and helped her   
sit down in the desk, "I didn't realize..."  
  
"He's at the hospital taking care of Mari, I think his   
grandfather is about to quit Nerv."  
  
"Can we go see him after school?"  
  
"Actually he's staying over at my place, you can see him when   
he gets back."  
  
"Thanks Kensuke... I keep finding reasons to wish I'd never   
joined this stupid organization."  
  
"Don't do this to yourself, look, we'll talk at lunch ok?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
That afternoon she and Kensuke walked back to his house.  
  
"So how are you and the Iron girl doing?"  
  
"Well... I keep wanting to go and meet her, but she can't."  
  
"Because of where she works? How old is she?"  
  
"Oh, she's our age, she's a secretarial assistant or something   
for a program that's kind of like that Jet Alone the UN tried to pull   
awhile back, but much more advanced."  
  
"So are you two getting romantic?"  
  
"Um... well... er," watching Kensuke blush almost made   
Hikari laugh for the first time since she woke up.  
  
"Don't worry, I won't tease you."  
  
"We've been getting pretty close... I feel like I know more   
about her sometimes than I do about anyone else in school... but   
there is the name thing too... its confusing."  
  
"I can see how it would be. Just be careful, ok?"  
  
"Hey-- it's me!" he assured her cheerfully  
  
She reached over and messed up his hair a bit.  
  
"That's what I'm worried about you dork," she told him, finally   
laughing.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"So we're starting so soon," Fuyutski said as he and Gendou   
Ikari watched the construction crews hauling the shattered body of   
Evangelion Unit Three on to what resembled a three hundred foot   
long operating table.   
  
"Dr Akagi assured me that the chances of a re-infection are   
non existent. That is enough to convince me."  
  
"And what about the committee? What did Seele have to say   
about it."  
  
"They were surprisingly generous, which has me worried."  
  
"So you think the are beginning to suspect what we have   
planed?"  
  
"It is possible, but unlikely. What is more likely is that they   
suspect we are up to something, and they hope that they can cause   
us to relax and make a wrong move."  
  
"And here I thought Kiel was smarter than that, he should   
know by now that you never relax."  
  
"Very droll professor."  
  
"I take my moments when I can old friend. So, how is the   
situation with Unit One?"  
  
"It's an unknown factor. We failed to save Yui, but at the time   
we did not have the Magi... a good deal of it depends on the boy   
himself, and that is what has me worried."  
  
"I told you that he would change once he started dating."  
  
"We factored that into the equation, but still... he has   
managed to surprise us in the past."  
  
"Maybe its because the Magi only calculate these things   
mathematically. Emotions are often unpredictable. One would   
have to be a mind reader to know what someone is thinking at any   
given moment."  
  
"It is true, we did rely on the Magi's profile to closely...   
Shinji has become an unpredictable element in the Unit One   
situation, which was already an unpredictable element."  
  
"He won't take to kindly to very much interference, and he's   
already threatened your life."  
  
"Yes... We considered brainwashing due to that for a short   
time, but ultimately we can not predict if Unit One will still accept   
him if we proceed. As it stands we will have to treat him with kid   
gloves. If he returns."  
  
"So what will you do then?"  
  
"We have certain safeguards in mind that should slip   
undetected in Unit One's system. If we succeed with that we will   
have some measure of control."  
  
'And indeed,' he thought as he looked out at the Repair station   
filling with the coolant fluid, 'control is everything in this game.'  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Hey Kensuke, I was wondering if we got any--" Touji's voice   
trailed off as he walked into the living room of the Aida residence   
and saw Hikari sitting at the coffee table. He dropped the backpack   
he was holding and blinked as if to make sure he was really seeing   
her.  
  
"You're ok?" he whispered as he took a tentative step forward.  
  
"I'm okay," she said as she stood, walked over and took his   
shaking hand. Touji had always been the type to hold every thing   
inside until it burst over the dam in one wild flood, and she had the   
feeling that was what was about to happen.  
  
As she predicted, he put his arms around her in a fierce hug.   
She could feel a few hot splashes against her neck and realized that   
she had never seen Touji cry before.  
  
"I'm fine Touji, really, it's ok."  
  
"I was afraid... when I heard that the Evas got trashed...   
that..."  
  
She held him until he got under control, and after threatening   
to give Kensuke 'the swirly from hell' if he ever told a soul what   
he'd just seen, they went out to the back patio to talk.   
  
Hikari told them what had happened from her point of view,   
and they told her what Shinji had told them. She listened and a few   
times came close to tears. She told them what Kaji had told her and   
that she regretted her decision not to tell Shinji about her   
appointment as the Fourth Child with all her heart. As the day   
grew later, Kensuke went inside to get some dinner prepared and   
she and Touji sat and watched the sun pass behind a thundercloud   
off in the distance.   
  
"Y'know," Touji said, "when I found out that you and Shinji   
were hooking up I wasn't that happy..."  
  
"Why not?" Hikari asked, wondering what had made him say   
that.  
  
"Well there were a couple of reasons... for one thing I didn't   
know Shinji so well at the time and I still thought he was a bit of a   
jerk. I don't anymore so you can stop looking at me like-- I just   
didn't think he was good enough for you."  
  
"What changed your mind?"  
  
"While we were in Okinawa I got to thinking about it, and I   
realized that he wasn't as bad as I thought... I guess I was still   
pissed about what happened to Mari."  
  
"How is she? I didn't get a chance to ask before."  
  
"She's getting out of the hospital next month, after that we're   
moving out to some relative's down south."  
  
"Kensuke said something about that... it seems like a lot of   
people are getting out of Tokyo Three, and I don't know if I can   
blame them.... What was the other reason?"  
  
"Well its kinda embarrassing to say, but I kind of had a thing   
for you since last year."  
  
Hikari didn't know what to say... so she blushed.  
  
"Don't worry, I'm cool with it now, I kind of realized how well   
you two were together after awhile.... Hey, could you do a me a   
favor?"  
  
"Um... sure..." she said, still trying to digest what he'd said a   
moment ago.  
  
"When Shinji gets back, could you guys pay Mari a visit? She   
really wants to meet a real Pilot...could you pass that along?"  
  
"I... yes, I mean..."  
  
"Hey... don't get all worked up, Kensuke will think we've been   
up to something," he said with a laugh.  
  
"Ok, I promise we'll visit as soon as we can."  
  
"Thanks, now let's go see what's holding Ken with those   
snacks, I'm starved."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
When she walked in the door that night, the first thing Hikari   
noticed was her older sister sitting on the couch that was in their   
living room. At first she thought that Kodama was asleep; she was   
leaning forward and her face was mostly obscured by her hair.   
  
Hikari paused, and stepped out of the hallway towards her sister.   
As she neared, Kodama jumped slightly. She looked up to Hikari   
and blinked, before letting out a sigh.  
  
"Sorry, I must have zoned out there," Kodama said, "can I talk   
to you for a moment, Hikari?"  
  
"I suppose," Hikari said with a frown. She hoped this wasn't   
going to end up like their last little talk.  
  
She went over to the chair that was across from where her sister   
sat. after a moment's silence, both started to speak-- cutting each   
other off. They both blushed slightly before finally Hikari nodded   
for Kodama to speak first.  
  
"I... I guess I just wanted to apologize for they way I've been   
acting around you... and Shinji."  
  
Hikari said nothing as her sister continued.  
  
"I don't guess I've ever told you this... did you know I've never   
had a boyfriend?"  
  
Hikari's eyes widened.  
  
"I know... you probably remember how I used to talk about boys   
a lot at your age, but most of that was me trying to pretend I had a   
love life. The truth is that the only time I ever became interested in   
someone... I was too scared to even talk to him. I think Nozomi   
knows more about all this than she lets on... but the look on your   
face leads me to assume she never told on me."  
  
Kodama sighed, "I screwed up and the guy I liked ended up   
going steady with another girl. At first I was alright with it... I   
knew the girl pretty well and they were happy, but when he   
cheated on her I kind of got pissed off at the male gender in   
general. I suppose that was about the time I started earning that   
'nitrogen queen' reputation," she shook her head with a sad smile,   
"but my point is that when Shinji did what he did I kind of grouped   
him with every guy I ever saw hurt their girlfriend. Which included   
the guy I had a crush on," she paused a moment to wipe away a   
tear before continuing, "Hikari, look... I'm not saying that I don't   
think what he did was wrong... but the way I acted towards Shinji   
was completely out of line. I... well, I want to apologize to you for   
it."  
  
Hikari stared at Kodama with difficulty. This was due to the   
tears which were pouring down her cheeks. She was completely   
speechless.   
  
"When you... when you see Shinji again," Kodama said, "would   
you tell him that I'm sorry? I'd appreciate it."  
  
As Kodama got up to leave the room, Hikari leapt to her feet   
and ran over to her sister-- nearly bowling the older girl over as   
they embraced. Both crying now, they held each other for a long   
time before Hikari finally spoke.  
  
"Thank you Kodama, I love you."  
  
"I love you too," Kodoma replied as she sniffed back her tears,   
"I wish I was better at showing it."  
  
As the two sisters stood in the living room, a small shadow   
stood and hurried up the stairs. As Nozomi softly shut her door she   
herself had to wipe her eyes. Leaning back against the door, she   
slid to the floor and smiled.  
  
"took her long enough," she said.  
  
  
[]=====================[]  
To Be Continued...  
[]=====================[]  
  
  
Authors Incoherent Babbling  
  
Well there's the latest draft of chapter seven. Not much changed   
this time around, so feel free to make any comments and   
suggestions that come to mind.   
  
For those who are waiting on my site to update again, it will be   
next week-- after I return from Dallas's Project A-Kon. I'll be out at   
the hotel the entire weekend-- buying new anime DVDs and other   
goodies, as well as hanging out with the anime club 'the anime   
heretics' I'll also be checking out the fanfic panel and other   
interesting events.   
  
If anyone wants to reach me before I leave, better do it before   
Thursday, because that's when the club is holding its pre-game   
bash. I'll be out of communication from then until Monday.   
  
What else? Well, next chapter we'll have the tear jerking   
reunion of Shinji and Hikari; the parting of the three stooges,   
Asuka's downward spiral, and more of Rei's slow awakening.  
  
What?  
  
Fan service?  
  
Hey you can't always get what ya want...  
  
But if you try some times, you just might find you get what   
you need.  
  
  
[]==========================================[]  
And now, Chain Lightning Studios   
is semi-proud to present:  
[]==========================================[]   
Our second OMAKE!!!!  
[]==========================================[]  
  
The MC ushered the blond off the strange for the fifth time that   
night and hoped that she had finally run out of money.   
  
"Miss Kuramitsu ladies and gents, ain't she great?" he said   
cheerfully despite the catcalls and boos that always resulted from   
the crazy girls attempts to sing on stage.  
  
"Well, moving right along-- tonight we have a new singer, and   
a celebrity to boot!" he said, and the crowd quieted down to see   
what who he was about to bring out, "you've seen her all over the   
Internet, and in Otaku magazines the world over. You've thought   
of her every time a Sinatra song came on the radio, and every full   
moon, ladies, gentlemen, those who aren't sure, we at the karoke   
club are proud to present, Tokyo Three's very own-- Rei   
Ayanami!!!"  
  
As the albino girl stepped on stage in a blue dress that was   
transparent around the neck, the crowd went wild. She stepped up   
to the microphone and in her soft calm voice announced the title of   
the song she would sing.  
  
"This song is called 'everything you've ever dreamed', thank   
you."  
  
What was it she did to break your heart  
Betray your heart and everything  
Kiss you with a kiss that wasn't true  
It wasn't you at all  
Hide behind a painted smile, did you know that   
You would live a lie or two   
Pull the very ground from under you  
And leave you nowhere else to run  
  
You can sail the seven seas and find   
That love is a place you'll never see  
Passing you like a summer breeze  
You feel life has no other reason to be   
You can wait a million years and find   
That heaven is too far away from you  
Loves just a thing that others do  
What is love   
Til it comes home to you?  
  
Did she promise you the world and did that   
Girl just throw your love away  
Leave you like a lonely solitaire   
With just despair for company  
Do you think you'd find revenge so sweet  
Make it so your hearts will never beat  
Squeeze the very last undying breath from  
Everything you've ever dreamed  
  
You can sail the seven seas and find   
That love is a place you'll never see  
Passing you like the summer breeze  
You feel life has no other reason to be   
You can wait a million years and find   
That heaven is too far away from you  
Loves just a thing that others do  
What is love   
Til it comes home to you?  
  
You can sail the seven seas and find   
That love is a place you'll never see  
Passing you like the summer breeze  
You feel life has no other reason to be   
You can wait a million years and find   
That heaven is too far away from you  
Loves just a thing that others do  
What is love   
Til it comes home to you?  
  
When she finished, the room was deathly silent. Everyone sat   
staring at her in a state of pure awe. Finally one person began to   
clap, followed by another and another. Soon the entire room was   
erupting in wild cheers and yells. Rei gave a polite bow and   
stepped off to the side of the stage and out a door.   
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
Ok, so it wasn't the silly little skits that usually make up the   
omake, but I fell in love with this song the moment I heard it on   
the S2 Works CD and wanted to share it with all of you.  
  
Anyway I'm out   
  
Love and Peace!  
  
Hotwire   
Chain Lightning Studios   
http://www.chainlightningstudios.com  
  
  
  



	8. Part Eight

  
Chain Lightning Studios presents  
Together We Stand Book Two  
Divided We Fall  
By T. L. Webb  
  
wild eyed in the spotlight  
what a nightmare why!  
there must be some kind of mistake  
I didn't mean to let them take away my soul  
am I too old or is it too late  
The Show Must Go On.   
Pink Floyd, The Wall  
  
  
[]=======================[]  
Book Two: part Eight  
[]=======================[]  
  
  
"How long has she been in there?" Misato asked as she   
and Asuka looked into Shinji's room.   
  
"She showed up about noon," Asuka replied, "said she   
needed to see something. About an hour later I poked my head   
out of my room and she was still there."  
  
"Has she been like that since then?"  
  
"More or less, she got up and changed the tape about   
twenty minutes before you got here, but other than that-- this   
is how I found her."  
  
Inside Shinji's room, Hikari was laying back on his bed   
looking up at the ceiling. Her face was expressionless. In her   
hand was a SDAT player-- its cord stretching up to the plugs   
in her ears. Contrary to appearances, she could hear every   
word that Misato and Asuka said over the soft melodies   
playing through the device. She just didn't care at the moment.   
  
"So are you gonna call the shrinks?" Asuka wanted to   
know.  
  
"Not for this... if nothing changes in the next couple of   
hours, maybe... lets just give her some privacy for now."  
  
The door slid shut leaving Hikari alone in the dimly lit   
room with her thoughts. She hadn't intended to stay as long as   
she had, and she hoped that Misato wouldn't worry too much,   
but she needed a chance to think something through. More than  
that, when she'd seen the SDAT she hadn't been able to stop  
herself from turning it on and listening.   
  
One track had turned to a tape, and one tape had progressed   
to another. Now, as she listened to the third of Shinji's   
compilation albums, she wondered why he'd selected the tracks   
he had. Each tape held a combination of classical music, pop   
music, foreign rock, and traditional Japanese musical pieces. It   
was an eclectic collection to say the least. But somehow she   
found the constant changes in tempo and mood relaxing, and   
there was an odd symmetry to the pieces he had put together.   
There was some underlying theme that she couldn't quite   
point out. It made the seemingly random selections flow in an   
odd harmony.  
  
Shinji had been gone for almost a month, and it was   
becoming harder for her to keep her thoughts from their   
behavior just after the disaster that followed their date. Even   
the constant training she was receiving wasn't helping to   
distract her from it. She constantly wondered how differently   
things would have turned out had she not been so furious with   
him... she supposed it was something she got from Kodama.   
The 'nitrogen queen' title that her sister had carried all   
through junior high hadn't been given to her as a joke.   
  
In the end she knew that they had both dealt with the   
situation badly. Shinji had spent so long without anyone really   
caring for him that his reaction to Asuka should not have been   
such a surprise. It didn't make what he had done right, but it   
put things in a different perspective.   
  
She still hadn't spoken of it in much depth with Asuka, and   
she knew that she would have to do that very soon-- perhaps   
that very evening. For the moment however she was content to   
listen to the music that Shinji had enjoyed enough to   
permanently record.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
About half an hour after Misato had looked in on her,   
Hikari finally emerged from Shinji's room. Misato looked up   
from her paperwork and smiled as the younger girl walked   
into the kitchen and greeted her.  
  
"_You_ look like you could use a drink," Misato said as she  
noticed the exhausted look in Hikari's eyes, "but since Ritsuko  
would kill me if she found alcohol in tomorrow's medical, I think  
some tea is in order."  
  
"I don't know..." Hikari said-- immediately worried at the   
mention of Misato preparing anything that was supposed to be   
consumed by humans.  
  
"Trust me just once, huh?" Misato asked with a wink.  
  
The idea of eating-- or drinking-- anything Misato made   
was a dangerous one... but Hikari was a bit thirsty and she   
didn't want to be rude.   
  
"Okay," she said, "I need to talk with Asuka anyhow. She  
wasn't in her room-- do you know where she went?"  
  
"I think she wanted to pick up some stuff for dinner. With  
Shinji gone we're pretty much stuck with instant food but you're  
welcome to join us."  
  
"Does Asuka have her cell phone?"  
  
"I think so-- she's usualy pretty good about keeping it on  
her person."  
  
"Just a sec then," Hikari said as she walked over to the  
phone and dialed up Asuka's number. It only rang a couple of  
times before the second child answered.  
  
"Hi, Asuka-- its me," Hikari said.  
  
"Oh... you're still at the apartment?" Asuka asked,   
apparently having checked the caller ID.  
  
"Yeah, Misato said you were out picking up some dinner?"  
  
"Yep, just got to the store... why?"  
  
"If you guys don't mind, I could cook dinner. You'd just  
have to get the supply's instead of the TV dinners."  
  
"Oh GOTT yes!" Asuka empathicly agreed, "er... I mean  
what do you need?"  
  
Hikari smiled at the other girl's response and gave her a  
short list of items before saying goodbye. She tuned back to   
Misato and found that she was already getting the counter  
cleaned off.   
  
"Sorry if I worried you back there," Hikari said as Misato   
put the pot on the stove.  
  
"Don't worry about it, the... situation has everyone acting   
strange."  
  
"I know what you mean," Hikari agreed as she rested   
her chin on her palms, "Rei even seems concerned, and I don't  
think I've _ever_ seen her do that."  
  
"Well I cant say much, you've known her longer than most  
of us... she does seem more open lately though, so I have to  
agree."  
  
"How much longer until they start the salvage operation?"  
  
"Ritsuko is going to start the procedure tonight, and hopefully  
it will only take a day or so."  
  
"A _day_ or so?" Hikari asked in shock.  
  
"Yeah, the Magi are good, _very_ good, but it's still going to  
take some time to put his body back together from a genetic  
level."  
  
"Have..... have Asuka or Rei said anything about the synch  
rates?"  
  
"You mean could this happen again?" Misato said bluntly.  
  
"Yeah," Hikari admitted with a slight blush, "its kind of  
frightening... is it possible?"  
  
"Unit One is... well she's different form the other Evas. I don't  
know the details Hikari, but I don't think that any of the other  
Evas could pull some of the stunts that she has."  
  
"She... she scares me," Hikari said with a slight tremmer in  
her voice, "its like we don't really have her under control."  
  
I don't think we really do... I think Shinji is the closest thing  
we really have a leash to Unit One."  
  
"So that's why they're working so hard to get him   
back..." Hikari said bitterly.  
  
Misato sighed as she took the pot off of the stove and poured.  
She wished she could tell Hikari that she was wrong, maybe the  
old saw was right. Maybe ignorance _was_ bliss. There were so  
many things about Nerv that she wished she could unlearn...  
some of them were causing her to loose sleep. As she served the  
tea, Hikari eyed it suspiciously before taking a small sip. As soon  
as she did her eyes lit up in delightful surprise-- the tea was  
delicious!  
  
"I know, I know," Misato said with a grin, "who'da   
thought?"  
  
"But everything else you make is so.... um I think I'll be   
quiet now."  
  
Misato laughed at that, "don't sweat it, after about a week  
with Asuka, I finally got it though my head that I just can't cook."  
  
"But what about the--"  
  
"The tea? That's a special case. You don't drink as long as I  
have without learning a dozen and a half hangover remedies. This  
is just one of the better tasting ones."  
  
After a moment of silence, Misato looked at Hikari and--   
for the first time-- noticed that the girl wasn't wearing her hair   
in the twin ponytails she generally sported.  
  
"What's with the hair?" she asked as they sipped their tea.  
  
"Hmm? Oh. Well after the first couple of synch tests I got  
tired of having to tie and retie them every time I had to wear a  
neural sensor, so I've just been leaving it down."  
  
"Sensible, but I got to admit, the style suited you."  
  
"Maybe...but... well there is another reason."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"I've been wearing my hair like that since third grade, and... it  
just didn't feel right anymore."  
  
"You're saying you've outgrown it?"  
  
"I guess so, that's one way to put it anyway."  
  
"We all have to grow up sometime," Misato said wistfully.  
She was about to take another sip of her tea when she saw that  
Hikari was looking at her with a disbelieving frown.  
  
"Hey," Misato said defensively," you may only be young  
once, but you can be immature _forever_!"  
  
Hikari tried fighting it, but her resolve didn't last long, and  
soon she was laughing out loud for the first time in weeks.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
After dinner Hikari asked Asuka aside so they could finally  
talk. They stepped out to the patio but for a few moments neither  
said anything.  
  
Finally Hikari broke the silence.  
  
"I'm going to forgive Shinji."  
  
Asuka looked over at her in surprise. "Why are you going to  
do that? I wouldn't forgive a guy for making out with some other  
girl if I was in your place."  
  
Hikari had expected a response like that; "I'm not you   
Asuka."  
  
"Still, I'd never be able to trust him again after that."  
  
"Asuka... why did you do it?"  
  
The question seemed to catch Asuka off guard. Her eyes   
widened and she looked away for a moment. Hikari watched her  
for a while before speaking again.  
  
"I can understand Shinji not breaking off the kiss. As pretty  
and passionate as you are I don't know many guys who would.  
The thing that keeps bugging me is that I don't understand why  
you did it in the first place."  
  
"I don't know," Asuka said quietly.  
  
"Don't give me that Asuka, there had to be some reason.You  
were constantly telling everyone how much you hated him-- then  
you went and did that. You don't kiss someone you can't stand  
unless there's a reason."  
  
"I _told_ you, I don't know!" Asuka shouted suddenly--   
causing Hikari to take a step back, "you think you're the first  
person to ask me this? Huh? No. Everyone from Misato to the   
shrinks have been badgering me about it ever since Superboy  
went and trashed the damn cage. And you know what? I don't  
know why I did it then, and I don't know why I did it now. I  
might have given them some load of crap about kissing, and  
wanting to find out what the big deal was about-- but the truth is  
just that Hikari. I don't know why I kissed him," she had been  
shouting and she seemed to realize it suddenly, "just stop   
bugging me about it, OK?"  
  
"Asuka..." Hikari said softly as the younger girl leaned  
against the balcony and looked out at the city, "I'll leave it alone  
until you can figure it out.I'm not going to let this sit forever, but  
right now I've got to get home... goodnight."  
  
She walked to the door, and as she stepped inside, she   
took a look back at the Second Child. Asuka had always been   
so passionate and bold... but at the same time there was a   
reckless air of desperation about her. It was like the persona   
she put out was a shield-- something to hide whatever was   
inside.   
  
What bothered Hikari was that she suspected that the   
shield was beginning to crack, and whatever was beneath the   
bravado might not be able to survive without it.  
  
  
[]===========================[]  
Forty three hours later  
[]===========================[]  
  
  
"It's no good!" Yuri shouted, "his Ego border is fixed in   
some type of loop!"  
  
"Try and radiate the wave patterns from all directions!" Ritsuko  
ordered. The salvage operation had gone according to plan until  
they had reached the final stages. For some reason Shinji's soul  
wasn't accepting the reconstruction procedures. Without his  
cooperation, there was no way they could bring Shinji back, and  
no way to control Unit One.  
  
Taking another look at the readings Ritsuko forced herself not  
to panic, "No... wait a moment, this isn't right! These radiated  
signals are captured in Klein space."  
  
"What the hell does that mean?" Misato shouted as she  
watched the proceedings with only the thinest of holds over her   
emotions.  
  
"It means we're failing," Ritsuko said as she tried to reset the  
program fast enough to prevent loosing the progress they _had_  
made.  
  
"W-what?" Misato whispered in horror as the others   
scrambled around her.  
  
"Stop the interface," Ritsuko said quickly, "reverse the tangent  
graph and set the additional value to zero.  
  
"Done," Makoto said from his station.  
  
"We're detecting Destrude reaction in Q area," Shigeru said,  
"pattern is... sepia?"  
  
"There are changes in the core pulse as well," Makoto   
added, "pulse three is confirmed."  
  
Off to the side, another operator warned that the water  
temperature was rapidly rising.  
  
"Maintaining the present conditions are our top priority,"  
Ritsuko shouted as she typed furiously, "we have to prevent   
backflow at all costs!"  
  
As the others struggled to save Shinji's life, Ritsuko couldn't  
help but wonder, 'what's wrong... don't you _want_ to come  
back?'  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
When the phone rang, Hikari woke from her fitful sleep and  
practically pounced it.   
  
"Hello?" she said, trying to keep from shouting.   
  
"Miss Horaki?" a familiar voice asked.  
  
"Rei? Is that you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Is there any news on Shinji?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Hikari was almost afraid to ask. From what little she knew  
about the salvage operation there was a strong chance of failure  
no matter how skilled the crew might be. She bit her lip, and was  
about to ask Rei what had happened when the other girl spoke  
up.  
  
"Shinji is alive," Rei said simply.  
  
"Oh thank God..." Hikari whispered in one rapid breath.  
  
"Also, I have a message from him."  
  
Hikari almost dropped the phone; "he's awake? So   
soon?"  
  
"As I understand, he woke up moments after he emerged,"Rei  
replied, "he asks that you meet him at the Elysium garden down in  
the Geofront. Are you aware of its location?"  
  
"Just outside the command center, right?" Hikari asked as   
she looked around for her sweater.  
  
"Yes, he will be waiting for you there," Rei told her, "good  
evening."  
  
Hikari was out the front door thirty seconds later.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
He'd wanted to come down to the garden for months. You   
could just barely see it from the hospital, and every time he'd  
ended up there, Shinji had seen it from the window, and had  
promised himself he'd visit. Somehow he had never quite found  
the time to do so.   
  
Between the constant attacks and confusion of the past few   
months he couldn't really say he was surpised that hadn't been  
able to make it down. Now as he looked around at the  
meticulously trimmed hedges and trees-- he regretted not coming  
sooner.   
  
The entire garden was of Greek design, and the view was   
second only to the observation platform a mile or so away.   
Above him he could see the repairs being done on at least half   
the buildings-- a memento from the bastard he'd been fighting   
before... before he had been absorbed.   
  
When hed awoken on the way to the hospital, Rei and  
Misato had been beside the bed. He had a fuzzy image in his  
head of Misato screaming his name from just after he came  
back-- but it was more an impression than a memory. After  
nearly having Misato choke him to death with a bone snapping  
hug, they told him how long he'd been gone. He still had a hard  
time believing them. It handt been until he'd stepped outside and  
seen how much of the repairs had been completed that he'd  
accepted that he had been gone an entire month.  
  
His memories inside the Eva didn't make sense conologically.  
Some of them felt like they lasted years, but then he'd think a little  
more and it didn't seem longer than a few minutes. It was  
confusing and jumbled and made little sense, but it had given him  
a few things to think about regarding his father and the things  
going on around him.  
  
Suddenly he heard a voice cry his name, and turned to find  
Hikari racing down the escalator.   
  
For a split second he was afraid. There was so much that had  
occurred since the last time they had seen one another that he  
didn't know what would happen between them. But that only  
lasted until he got a better look at her face.  
  
There were tears streaming down her face as she called out to  
him again, and without another thought of the past-- he began  
running towards her as well.   
  
They met halfway down the steps of the gazebo, and Shinji  
suddenly found his face covered with kisses. He put his arms  
around her and as they stood there crying in joy, they held onto  
one another as tightly as they could.  
  
Up above, the indoor lighing of the Geofront came to life,  
showering the underground chamber with the equivilent of  
moonlight, and casting multiple shadows of the young couple  
around the gazebo's starecase.  
  
"I-I when-- you," Hikari tried to say as her voice choked with  
tears. Shinji's eyes were identacly damp, and they both sat on the  
stairs for along time, merely holding onto one another as if the  
other would vanish the moment they let go.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"So where's Misato?" Hikari asked a couple of hours later.  
They were curled up together on one of the gazebo's benches  
watching the lights of the construction crews high above them in  
the City, "I didn't expect to get _any_ privacy with you for  
awhile."  
  
He smiled and kissed her forehead, "Misato needed to talk  
with Kaji about something, she'll be back tomorrow afternoon."  
  
Hikari let out a little gasp, "does that mean what I think it  
does?"  
  
"I'm pretty sure," Shinji replied, "she didn't seem to be very  
subtle when she said where she was going...I doubt it will   
make Asuka very happy when word gets to her."  
  
"Humph, I almost feel sorry for her."  
  
"Ouch, I don't think I've ever heard you get that catty about  
anything."  
  
"Hey, I might not show it often, but I do have temper."  
  
"If your sister is any indication, I believe you. I think the   
only reason she didn't kill me outright was the mess it would  
make."  
  
"Well, maybe I'm not _that_ bad. Kodama was never one   
to hide it when something got her angry... and she can hold a   
grudge forever. Fortunatly she says she's allright with us now-- as  
long as you behave that is"  
  
"She's a scary lady," Shinji said with a chuckle, "that's for  
sure."  
  
"Shinji... we've been dancing around this for the past two  
hours... I want you to know that I forgive you for what  
happened."  
  
Shinji looked up at the city for awhile, then held her a little  
closer, "there are no words for how sorry I was the moment I  
realized what I'd done Hikari... I felt like the bottom of a sewer--  
worse because I should have known better."  
  
"How could you have?" she asked him softly, "when you first  
got here you were the most introvertive person I'd ever met after  
Rei. For someone to show you any kind of affection would have  
been like... like a ray of light in the middle of the darkest night."  
  
Shinji sighed and shifted a bit, "that's better than I could have  
ever put it, but I still should have know better. I should have  
known because if it had been me in your place... it would have  
broken my heart."  
  
"No comment, and that's final Shinji. I don't know if you're  
ever going to forgive _yourself_ but as far as I'm concerned the  
matter is over. You're alive and we're together again and that's all  
I care about."  
  
"Alright," he said softly-- giving her another hug, "but here's  
something else I think we need to talk about-- why did you agree  
to pilot Hikari? You knew what it was like in those monsters... I  
understand you not wanting me to talk you out of it, but why do it  
in the first place?"  
  
"Partially because if I hadn't, they would have drafted  
someone else might have who didn't have as high a synch rate.   
Ritsuko says I'll be up to thirty percent by the time they're ready  
to activate. It won't be enough to activate the AT field but it's a  
start."  
  
"I guess you know about what happened between the last  
two Angels then."  
  
"Misato called me aside after I woke up and told me most  
of it. The rest I got from Rei, Asuka and some of the bridge  
crew. My father said that you were by my side until almost the  
last minute."  
  
"That's more or less true... I wasn't going to go back, then  
Kaji told me the stakes," he let out a small, bitter laugh, "they're  
going to be surprised when I tell them this-- but after learning  
what I did, I can't leave again... I just wish you hadn't been  
dragged into it."  
  
"Oh, so Rei and Asuka can fight but I cant?" she asked in a  
mock-annoyed tone-- Smiling as she did to make sure he knew  
she was teasing.  
  
"I didn't mean that, it's just harder to have you in it because  
of how I feel about you."  
  
"I do understand Shinj-- better than you know... but I think  
this is for the best. Used to they wouldn't let girls fight because  
we aren't as strong as men, and we're tied down to our  
biology--don't look stupid, use your imagination. This isn't about  
any of that though. It's not about who's stronger, it's about who  
has the best synch with the Eva. And the biology doesn't factor in   
because we're too young to be doing that kind of thing anyway. I  
know I'm not much of a fighter, but neither were you when you  
first arrived. I had the choice of going out there and maybe  
making a difference or hiding in the shelters wondering if it was  
the end. I chose this-- I'd rather be up there fighting by your side  
Shinji."  
  
He down at where her head was resting against his shoulder.  
She was looking back up at him waiting for his reply. Finally he  
smiled and leaned down to kiss her. When they finally came up  
for air, he stood and took her hand. They walked down the path  
into the garden and up to the escalator, and as they rode up the  
lift, Shinji's face grew serious.  
  
"Hikari, there are things going on in Nerv that frighten me. My  
father is doing something... I don't know what, but its bigger than  
this war we're in. As frightened as I am that you've decided to  
join Nerv, I'm glad to have you by my side. Whatever happens  
we'll face it together."  
  
She gave his hand a squeeze as she blinked back another  
wave of tears. As they reached the top, Shinji glanced over at her  
and smiled.  
  
"By the way, I really like your new hairdo."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Come on Asuka, we're going to be late!" Misato called from  
the living room.   
  
It was a week later and now that Shinji had been officially  
given a clean bill of health they were having a party to celebrate.  
That wasn't the only reason, however, Touji was leaving the next  
day and the others had wanted to throw him a party as well.   
  
Asuka wanted nothing to do with any of it.  
  
"I told you last night, "she yelled from her room, "I'm not  
going!"  
  
"Damnit Asuka, stop being difficult! I don't care if you  
despise Suzuhara with every core of your being, this is the polite  
thing to do."   
  
"I don't care. They already think I'm a shrieking bitch. Won't  
hurt my rep any."  
  
"Gee, and I wonder how they got that idea in their heads?"  
Misato shot back a touch more sarcastically than she originally  
intended.   
  
"I don't give a good goddamn Misato, leave me alone!"  
  
"Stop _doing_ that!" Misato yelled back, "stop pushing us  
away Asuka! I don't know where you got this crazy idea that  
everyone in Tokyo Three is against you but you are dead wrong!"  
  
Suddenly the door to Asuka's room slid open and Misato was  
faced by two furious blue eyes. Surprised at the sudden  
confrontational glare from the second child, Misato found herself  
at a loss for words.  
  
"I'm not going to tell you this again Misato," Asuka growled,  
"you are nothing more than my commanding officer. I am not your  
daughter and you are not my mother. Now leave me the hell  
alone!"  
  
The door slammed in Misato's face and she had to fight the  
urge to storm in and strangle the girl. The infuriating part was that  
Asuka was technically correct. She was a collage graduate and  
while her parents in Germany had granted _some_ custody to  
look after the girl while she was in Japan-- her authority was  
limited. Unless it was a Nerv related activity, Misato had little  
choice but to let the girl alone.  
  
Sighing in defeat, she grabbed her coat and left to join the  
others.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Do you ever have misgivings about this?" Ritsuko asked as  
she stubbed out her cigarette in the ashtray beside her bed.  
  
"What regrets are there to have?" Gendou asked from where  
he lay back-- staring at some undefined point on the ceiling.  
Ritsuko decided it would be a bad idea to point out that his son  
had done that quite often when at the hospital.  
  
"Well some would find it odd for a person to have sexual   
relationships with the daughter of a former lover."  
  
"I never have regrets over who I chose to take to bed. We  
are breaking no laws, and I could care less what someone else   
thinks is 'inappropriate' behavior."  
  
"Typical answer from you. In other words-- you'll still do what  
you want and the rest of the world can go hang."  
  
"Well spoken, but you didn't put enough sneer in the eyes,  
and you need to add a touch more arrogance to your voice when  
delivering the last word."  
  
"So you _do_ work at being such an overbearing bastard,  
and here we all thought it was a natural talent."  
  
"Natural talent can only take you so far in any field. For  
perfection one must practice."  
  
"True, although I don't know if all the practice or talent in the  
world would have saved Shinji the other night-- that was more  
luck than anything."  
  
"How close was the procedure from failing?"  
  
"You read the report Gendou, it _did_ fail. Whatever  
happened, it was because of Unit One and Shinji-- not us."  
  
"The important thing is he is back and we once again have  
control over the project."  
  
"Speaking of control, how do you plan on keeping it over  
him?"  
  
"I do not think it will be necessary to resort to any threats, he  
seems to finally have accepted the stakes involved."  
  
"I admit I'm surprised... so he rejoined with no argument?"  
  
"Only a rather impressively veiled threat, should we place Pilot  
Horaki in such a position as with the thirteenth ever again."  
  
"Should I mark the calendar?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"That almost sounded like a complement."  
  
"Save it for if he actually does his job-- and that will have to  
wait till Seele stops whining and we can unfreeze Unit One."  
  
"This is what happens when anything important is run by  
committee, if Kiel wasn't chairman I doubt they could ever get  
anything done despite the power at their disposal."  
  
"Rather pathetic isn't it?"  
  
"That's one word. I could send them charts and charts  
showing that the situation has stabilized but they still would shuffle  
their feet and make excuses. The fiasco with the Fourteenth  
seems to have stolen any courage they might have had. Think of  
it--the most powerful group of men on the planet... frightened of a  
fourteen year old boy."  
  
Had anyone been within earshot, they would never have  
recognized the sound that followed Ritsuko's statement-- that of  
Gendou Ikari laughing.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"NOOOOOOO!" Kensuke screamed as his hovercraft was  
sent burning to the track below. It crashed and shattered into  
thousands of pieces as the other racing vehicles shot by  
overhead. On a small display beside his seat, a scrolling line of  
text revealed that his assassin had been CrymsonEyes-- a name  
he himself had selected as Rei's callsign.   
  
It had to be luck! He'd gone over thirty missions without  
being shot down, and now a newbie had just trashed him for the  
third time straight? Outside the pilot's compartment, he could hear  
the others laughing as they read the new score listings. That  
laughter was short lived as Rei continued cutting her unstoppable  
swath across the track.   
  
He sighed as his fresh ship materialized at the drop zone and  
he kicked the craft into high gear, "at least Asuka didn't show," he  
muttered, "she'd never let us forget it if _she_ kicked our butts  
this bad."  
  
In truth he was pleasantly surprised that the others were  
presenting an actual challenge to him. Touji had always been  
pretty good at the game, but he hadn't expected the others to do  
so well. Obviously it was related to the fact that the Eva's were  
infinitely more complicated than the VR game they were playing.  
Even Shinji-- who had barely been above rookie level in his first  
game-- was holding his own and giving Touji a decent battle. It  
was, however, Hikari--who had only played once before-- who  
impressed him the most, somehow managing to keep up with him  
and Rei.  
  
All in all it was perhaps the most exciting race he'd had in  
months.  
  
When the game ended, and they had collected their score  
printouts, they met Misato at a nearby restaurant for dinner. This  
party was being held for several reasons, but mostly it was a fond  
farewell to Touji.   
  
"Ok!" yelled Mari Suzuhara from her wheelchair, "now that  
you've managed to humble the big dork here--"  
  
"Watch it short stuff," Touji cut in-- with a good-natured   
grin.  
  
"-- I think it's only fair that we let him open his presents."  
  
Kensuke brought up the box holding them and started  
handing them one by one to his friend. The first was from him,  
and was the tape labeled simply 'the goddess'. He saw Shinji  
sneak him a sharp glare, but fortunately nothing was said, and  
Misato remained clueless to her presence on said tape.  
  
The others included a new jacket with the Japanese Olympic  
basketball team's logo from Hikari, a duplicate of an old photo of  
Misato that Shinji seemed to find familiar, two or three cards  
from people who couldn't make it, and a rather thoughtful one  
from Rei. Then there was the one from Shinji that Touji nearly  
dropped in surprise.  
  
"No way!" he whispered. Kensuke looked over his shoulder  
and saw that it was a signed Michael Jordan rookie card.  
  
"Shinji?' he asked as he adjusted his glasses and took a closer  
look, "how in the world did you afford this?"  
  
"That's not very polite to ask," Shinji said from Hikari's side,  
"but lets just say that I had some backpay that I hadn't used  
sitting in my account, and then the hazard bonus amongst other  
things."  
  
"T-thank you Shinji!" Touji said wide-eyed.  
  
"Hold it, I have one more," Misato said with a grin. She  
reached under the table and brought out a small box-- handing it  
to Touji. Kensuke read the card and scratched his head in  
disbelief  
  
"Did you scan it for explosives?" he asked her.  
  
"Don't be silly, we keep them well away from her," Misato  
said with an almost forced laugh.  
  
Touji looked at the box-- obviously a little suspicious. Finally  
he shrugged and opened it, pulling out a white baseball cap with  
blue stripes. The attached card read-- 'no hard feelings, ok  
monkey face? Asuka'  
  
"I'll be damned," Kensuke said, as he took the card and  
examined it more closely. As he did so, however, he noticed   
something. He'd never tell anyone, but he recognized that the  
signature wasn't in Asuka's handwriting-- it was in Misato's.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Most people thought that Sub Commander Fuyutski's day   
consisted of dealing with the trivial duties that Ikari considered  
beneath him, and they were dead wrong. This was mostly  
because people misunderstood the whys and hows of his  
appointment to that position. He was not only one of the top  
geneticist on the planet, but an expert on both physics and   
theoretical metaphysics. Many wondered what in the world   
someone like that was doing in a quasi-military organization,   
and not without reason.   
  
Not to say that he wasn't good at his job, but anyone   
looking at his qualifications would without doubt be puzzled.   
  
Much of it had to do with his being in the right places at the  
right times. He had known both Gendou and Yui Ikari back while  
they were students and Gendou's surname was still Rokubungi.  
Back then he had been a professor at one of Japan's most  
prestigious academies, with no dreams of being part of anything  
like what came later.  
  
It had been mostly his relationship with Gendou that had   
determined his fate. Apparently whatever advice he'd given the  
younger man had convinced him that he could have no one else  
as his chief advisor once Gehirn was established. He'd been  
mystified at the time why Ikari had insisted he take the job, but  
hadn't argued. In later years he'd come to suspect that the only  
conscience Ikari'd ever had was lost with Yui.   
  
He still didn't know if Ikari or Akagi had suspected what   
would happen with the test that day, but from that day he had  
been promoted up to sub commander and had since been the  
only person outside of Seele who had the man's ear. His chief  
duty was to advise Ikari on his decisions regarding the Human  
Completion Project.  
  
It was a job he hated sometimes... but sometimes it had its  
moments.  
  
He wasn't sure if the call he'd just received was a harbinger  
of one of those or not, but he was certain that the next half hour  
or so would be interesting.  
  
His office door opened and he smiled warmly as Shinji  
stepped in.   
  
"Good morning Pilot Ikari, I'm happy to see you seem to have  
no ill effects from your accident. Now, you asked to speak with  
me?"  
  
"Yes sir, thank you for doing so."  
  
"Think nothing of it, in fact--you rescued me from the tedium  
of signing a stack of papers that I can now delegate to a  
subordinate. Now, what did you need to talk with me about?"  
  
"It's about what you said back before I almost quit," he paused  
and seemed to take a moment to gather his thoughts, "You  
mentioned that you knew my mother."  
  
Fuyutski smiled and gestured for Shinji to sit down in one of  
the two chairs that were at the front of the desk.   
  
"There are some things I cant talk about, because most of my  
contact with her was during rather sensitive research that ended  
up as part of this very organization, but I do have something that  
might interest you."  
  
He reached into his desk and pulled out a small scrapbook.   
After thumbing through it for a moment, he found the section he  
was looking for, and handed the book to Shinji.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
An hour of old stoeis later, they were still going through the  
scrapbook.  
  
"And this was taken just before your father and mother left  
the academy to pursue their own research. I was friends with  
your mother, and at the time knew your father only in passing, but  
the two dated for some time and this was taken about then."  
  
Shinji looked at the picture with rapt interest. It showed the  
three in labcoats-- his mother sitting while his father and Fuyutski  
stood. At first his father's appearance caught his attention. He  
would have been in his late twenties at the time, but his unruly hair  
and bemused smile hid his age well. Other than a total lack of  
facial hair there wasn't much different. The eyes still seemed to  
bore holes in the observer and the angular face was the same.  
Even his posture was unchanged-- one hand in his pocket as  
looked at the camera with a confidence that was jarring even in a  
photo  
  
Looking on to Fuyutski there was much less of a difference.  
The hair was a little darker in the photos and he seemed to be  
more energetic somehow, but he looked about the same.  
  
Finally he focused on his mother. He had few memories of  
her, and most were marred by the painful image of her last  
moments-- a memory he'd pushed from his mind for years.  
Looking at her now he was comforted somehow to see that while  
he'd gained many of his fathers features, the hard glaring eyes  
were not among them.   
  
As he looked at the photo, Fuyutski smiled and spoke up  
again, "I have some work to get to, but you can hold onto that   
album for awhile if you like."  
  
Shinji's eyes snapped up and he tried to speak-- to say that he  
couldn't take something so personal, but his voice was held up in  
his throat by the emotions cause by seeing an image of his mother  
for the first time in so many years.  
  
"I insist," Fuyutski said, reading his reaction, "now run along, I  
don't have time to lollygag all day, Ikari."  
  
As Shinji got up and reached the door, he paused  
  
"I... I don't know how to thank you sir."  
  
"No need, the look on your face was enough reward-- not to  
mention the dozen or so times you've saved all our lives.Take  
care of that for me now, okay?"  
  
"Y-yes sir!" Shinji said empathicly as he bowed and stepped  
out of the office.   
  
As he walked back to Misato's apartment he looked at some  
of the other photos of his mother in the album, and couldn't help a  
nagging thought in the back of his head... for some reason the  
pictures made him think of... Rei?  
  
  
[]=================[]  
To Be Continued  
[]=================[]  
  
  
Author's Incoherent Babbling  
  
Ok-- right off the bat I want to make something clear, and   
that's why Shinji's acting all spiny now. Do y'all remember what  
Misato said just after the 13th angel? How "this is the real Shinji  
talking, I've never heard him so determined about anything!" well  
that was the same Shinji that could make the decision to go back  
and kick the living hell out of the 14th. What happened to that  
Shinji? Where did he go? It's possible that the experience in Unit  
One knocked his ego back down to the Shinji we're more  
familiar with... but there _is_ another possibility.   
  
We don't know much about his first few days back from the  
Eva, but we do know that Misato ran off to Kaji in order to get  
vital info. Was Shinji's newfound self-esteem the casualty of that  
decision? I don't think so, but it was defiantly a factor. Shinji  
acted much more boldly after the 14th, but continuously found  
himself a helpless onlooker as the later angels tore two girls he  
cared about apart in body and soul (not in that order of course) I  
think that the last three angels had more to do with Shinji's  
emotional breakdown than Misato's rondivue with Kaji.  
  
I think that the Shinji with the steel stones (do you have any  
idea how hard it is NOT to chant 'all hail lord iron balls' just now?  
^_^) stuck around for awhile, and I also think that if he'd had  
someone there for him emotionally he might have been even  
better off as the final stages of Anno's tale took its sharp turn  
downward. Then again that wasn't the type of story Anno was  
aiming for, was it? ^_^   
  
So-- with Hikari and Shinji's bond even stronger now, Shinji  
has a much more stable emotional state.   
  
Which brings the question-- how can I call this part of the  
story Divided We Fall if it's still got five chapters left and the  
lovebirds are back together?  
  
Heh-heh-heh.... See, for every action there are reactions.   
Consequences to decisions. We still have three angels left. And  
these angels will still devastate the pilot corp. But think of this--  
who was there for Asuka when the fifteenth tore her mind  
asunder?   
  
Ok enough plot teasing now. The only other thing I can think  
of is the little scene with Gendou and Ritsuko up there. I  
deliberately left out as much description as I could there.  
Basically I was experimenting to see if I could emulate the  
Misato-Kaji scene where there was nothing but voice and a shot  
of a glass of water.   
  
finally, the time has come for me to announce the   
TOP SECRET PROJECT's title.  
  
my newest project is a side story to Strike Fiss's Sailor Moon:  
Omoi series. It will be set during the Seven Knight's story arc. More  
details will follow in my NEWS section so check that out if you're  
interested in learning more and btw, I HIGHLY recomend the Omoi  
series. I wasn't even much of a fan of Sailor Moon untill I read that  
fic.  
  
at any rate, the story is titled: Sailor Moon Omoi: Mojo Rising  
  
more news will follow ^_^  
I'm out.  
  
Hotwire  
Chain Lightning Studios  
http://www.chainlightningstudios.com  



	9. Part Nine

  
Note: there are some lime-ish aspects to this chapter, but nothing more  
offensive than anything seen in Evangelion TV series itself. Just   
wanted those who worry about such things to be aware ^_^  
  
  
Chain Lightning Studios Presents  
Together We Stand Book Two  
Divided We Fall  
By T. L. Webb  
  
  
  
Does anybody here remember Vera Lynn?  
Remember how she said that we would meet again  
some sunny day?  
Vera  
Pink Floyd, The Wall  
  
[]=======================[]  
Book Two, Part Nine  
[]=======================[]  
  
  
"Watch out, idiot!"  
  
  
[]=======[]  
Then:  
[]=======[]  
  
  
The two skateboarders missed crashing into one another   
by inches, but the quick adjustments that had averted their   
impact did not totally leave the two unscathed. One ended up   
misjudging his descent down a nearby handicapped ramp and   
lost his balance-- resulting in his skateboard shooting up the   
ramp without him. The other was sent tumbling as her board   
glanced off a step and dislodged her from its back.   
  
Climbing to his feet, the first boarder rubbed his sore   
arse and shook his head to clear his somewhat jumbled   
thoughts. He'd seen the other boarder at the very last second   
as he'd come around a hedge and had she not shouted they   
would have not doubt run directly into one another. He limped   
over to the girl and breathed a quick thanks to above that she'd   
been wearing a helmet... then realized that it wasn't on her   
head, but beside it.   
  
"Oh shiest!" he muttered in the local dialect as he knelt   
beside her and gave her a quick once over for injuries. He   
really didn't care much for German as a language, but it was   
great for cursing.  
  
Not seeing any blood save a scraped thigh, he brushed   
some of the raven hair out of her face and checked the pulse at   
her neck-- steady and strong.  
  
"**miss? Are you awake?**" he asked in German before   
realizing with a start that she was Japanese like him.   
Breathing a sigh of relief that he wouldn't be testing his still   
developing skill with the course language, he switched to   
Japanese  
  
"Hey, are you alright?" he inquired as a soft groan came   
from somewhere in the mass of hair that still covered most of   
her face.   
  
"Wazzat?" she moaned as she opened her eyes and   
squinted up at him.  
  
"You had a nasty tumble," he told her, "you might want to   
rest for a moment in case you hurt yourself."  
  
"Ugh, I don't think much more than my pride needs to be   
scraped off the pavement."  
  
"Are you sure?" he asked as he picked up her helmet, "it   
looks like you hit hard enough to dislodge this-- I'd recommend   
you at least wait a moment to assess the full damage."  
  
"It didn't pop off, I just didn't strap it down very   
tight. They scratch my chin and leave a nasty mark."  
  
"You do realize that if you'd hit at a different angle,   
_that_ would leave an even nastier mark... right?"  
  
"Look, I don't need safety tips from someone who barrels  
around blind corners at top speed."  
  
"Touché!" he replied with a grin, "perhaps we could take   
a step back and try again? I don't think you smacked your head,   
unless you feel dizzy?"  
  
"I'm alright-- just got the wind knocked out of me, I think   
my hair held the helmet mostly in place."  
  
"Well that's something to be thankful for.... I don't think I  
introduced myself, by the way."  
  
"You didn't, but I already kind of have you pegged as  
'scruffy looking guy from the back row' in B period physics."  
  
"You have Dr Akira? Hmmm perhaps I should try to stay   
awake for a change, I seem to be missing out on some very   
pretty ladies."  
  
"Flattery will get you nowhere, buster. Now, you wanna to   
move so I can get up?"  
  
"Oops, sorry about that."  
  
He moved back and offered her a hand up-- which she  
accepted graciously. Once up he remedied the lack of  
introductions.  
  
"I'm Ryouji Kaji. Pleasure to make your acquaintance."  
  
"I'm Misato, nice to meet you too."  
  
  
[]========[]  
2015  
[]========[]  
  
  
In Asuka's opinion, one of the greatest benefits of having   
Misato's apartment complex to themselves was that they didn't  
have to use the parking garage next door, this made the walk from  
the car to apartment much easier when carrying things, and  
Misato's visitors were able to park right at the entrance. This didn't  
totally make up for having to live with her and Shinji, but it did  
make it easy to tell who the visitors were. As she strolled up the  
walk from the train station, she was excited to find a familiar car  
parked right behind Misato's.   
  
Her inpatient wait for the elevator to arrive was followed by  
an even less patent wait for the elevator to reach their floor. She  
practically burst from the double doors with a gleeful smile on her  
face. It had been weeks since she'd seen Kaji and she missed him  
terribly.   
  
Other people could say whatever they wanted to about her   
feelings toward him, but she knew that it was only a mater of time  
before he would be hers. She'd worked it out in her head dozens  
of times. All she had to do was make him fall as desperately in  
love with her as she was with him by the time she old enough and  
then there would be nothing to keep them apart.   
  
When she'd found out that he was going to be joining her   
on the Over the Rainbow, she had barely been able to contain   
herself. Even running into Misato had only dampened her   
excitement a little bit. To her it had meant that the time keeping  
them apart would be that much shorter. After her failed attempts  
to seduce him one night on the carrier it had occurred to her that  
Kaji just didn't want to go to jail. So she was content to hold off  
any more attempts to trip him until she could do so safely. People  
might look down at them for the differences in their ages, but true  
love was always misunderstood by the ignorant.  
  
The only real stumbling block in her plans to trap Kaji had  
been, and still was, Misato. Asuka hadn't been worried at first,  
after the first meeting it was obvious that Misato had little interest  
in rekindling any past romance. The infuriating part had been that  
Kaji refused to stop flirting  
  
She knew it was just his way, and sometimes she doubted he  
really did it on purpose, but Kaji's tendency to flirt with every  
female he met was quickly rising on Asuka's list of things she  
despised.   
  
Opening the front door and walking into the apartment,   
she was just about to announce her return when something   
stopped her. She didn't know quite what, but something wasn't   
right. As she removed her shoes and walked down the hall,   
that undeniable element began to crystallize. If they had   
company then the lights should have been on, but she could   
see from where she was that the kitchen and possibly the   
living room were both dark.   
  
'Okay,' she thought--refusing to panic, 'maybe they went   
out with Dr. Akagi again.'  
  
But... there had been shoes at the door. She turned back to   
look, and sure enough-- there were Kaji's shoes. This did not   
imply anything that Asuka wanted to think about, but she found it  
impossible to prevent her mind from racing through the  
possibilities.  
  
Her heart pounding, she stepped into the kitchen where a   
half-eaten lunch was sitting out on the table. Beyond the kitchen  
she could see the door to Misato's room half-open. Her breath  
quickening in anxiety, she walked around the table and into the  
living room.  
  
The only light was a sliver of sunlight cutting through Misato's  
curtains, but it revealed more than Asuka wanted to see. In the  
darkness of the room there were two shapes draped over the  
futon. As one of them shifted she let out a little gasp.  
  
Taking two steps back, she spun around and ran through   
the living room and hall. If the door hadn't been an automatic  
sliding model, she would have slammed it  
  
'You bitch!' she cursed silently as she ran to the stairwell   
and stopped to catch her breath, 'he's _mine_! How could you   
do that? How could you choose her over me? How?'  
  
Confused, and heartbroken, Asuka curled up on the steps   
and tried very hard not to cry.   
  
  
[]=======[]  
Then  
[]=======[]  
  
  
"Hi ya, Kaji!" Misato called as she dropped down beside him  
on the park bench.  
  
"Gah!" he cried, jumping in surprise, "would it kill you to give  
me a warning-- at least once-- before you pounce from out of  
nowhere like that?"  
  
"No, this is more fun," she said with a bright smile, "so what's  
the big whoop? Your message said to meet you out here as soon  
as I could."  
  
"Well I was going to ask you to dinner, but your insufferably  
rude greeting has me reconsidering it," Kaji responded with a wink  
and a smile to let her know he was kidding.  
  
"Oooohh a date?" Misato sighed with a grin, "you do realize  
that I've sent more than one guy to the hospital for presuming he  
had my favor?"  
  
"A prize with no risk is not a prize worth winning Misato,   
didn't you pay attention in Dr. Anno's philosophy course at   
all?"  
  
"Yeah, but I don't like to think of myself as a prize to   
possess, more like a lioness to be tamed," she added a playful   
flick of her finger on his nose. Suddenly she grabbed his hand   
and stood up. Pulling him to his feet, Misato began dragging   
him across the park to a concession stand.  
  
"Two shaved ice please," she told the owner--tossing the  
money onto the counter before Kaji could reach for his wallet.   
She pushed the cone of flavored ice shavings into his and again  
they were off at the breakneck pace that seemed to be Misato's  
idea of a leisurely stroll.  
  
"I believe it's traditional for the male to purchase the  
refreshments on a date," he told her with a smile as they reached  
the overlook to the local skate park.  
  
"Did I say this was a date?" she asked sweetly.  
  
"Well, it _was_ implied," he said with a shrug.  
  
"Tell you what-- we'll just say that you owe me, and I'll let  
you pay me back Friday night. How's that sound?"  
  
"Like something a devious little minx such as yourself would  
come up with," he let out a laugh, "very well, I except. Friday night  
it is."  
  
"Oh, and there is just one more little thing."  
  
"I hesitate to even ask, but what would that be?"  
  
"I get to pick the restaurant."  
  
  
[]======[]  
2015  
[]======[]  
  
  
Shinji and Hikari had stopped off for lunch at the restaurant  
they'd had their first meal together in.   
  
"So what was this big thing you wanted to show me?" Hikari  
asked as she took a sip of her tea.  
  
Shinji reached into his school bag and produced the old photo  
album that sub commander Fuyutski had given him a few days  
before.   
  
"What's that?" she asked him as she scooted her chair over  
next to him.   
  
"It's a scrapbook from back when they were still building the  
Geofront, sometime around ten years ago."  
  
"I think my parents were around for that," Hikari noted as   
Shinji opened the book to reveal a set of overhead pictures of   
the undeveloped land Tokyo Three would someday occupy. At   
one edge a dark shadowy splotch could bee seen poking out of   
a bare patch of rock. A piece of paper below the photo read--   
First sighting of Black moon December 1998.  
  
"Shinji... is that the Geofront?" Hikari asked with surprise.  
  
"I'm pretty sure, I mean it is in the right spot... from what   
I can guess they found it and just built the city around it."  
  
"But... if we didn't build it..." she trailed off, confused.  
  
"I don't think anyone knows," he replied, "and I'm afraid to  
ask, they might take this away from me if they learn I know even  
this much."  
  
"I can see why, I mean this is totally against the official  
records. If some reporter got ahold of just that picture it would   
be just as bad as when Nerv opened it's second branch in the US and  
they had to admit that their test sight actual existed."  
  
"Yeah, Kensuke told me about that, but check this one out,"  
he turned a few pages and there was a set of black and white  
photos that showed a glowing white figure that dimly resembled an  
Eva. Beside that there was a satellite photo of the sea around  
Antarctica. Below both of these was a torn piece of paper with  
several words jotted down  
  
White Moon,  
Second Impact  
Lance of Longinus?  
Anti AT Field  
Lilith  
Katsuragi experiment  
  
Below all of them there was a single name underlined and   
circled.   
  
Adam   
  
"What is that?" Hikari asked.  
  
"I don't know... I think it's an angel, maybe the first or   
the second one... mind you, I still haven't gone through the whole  
book. They've been calling our enemies Angels though...And I  
think there was something about an Adam that has to do with   
the religious stuff."  
  
"I guess... I never really thought much about it."  
  
"Me neither... but I'm starting to think Mr. Fuyutski gave   
me this for more than just the pictures of my mom..."  
  
"Can I see one?" Hikari asked, suddenly glad for the  
opportunity to change subject. She didn't know what all the  
information in the scrapbook meant, but it frightened her.   
  
"Huh? Oh, sure," he replied, turning to one of the middle  
pages. It was the same one he'd seen first with his father and   
Fuyutski standing beside where Yui Ikari sat. Hikari looked at it  
for a moment, then looked up to Shinji. She stared at him for a  
few moments then looked back to the picture.  
  
"S-Shinji... I don't know how to ask this... but does she   
remind you of--"  
  
"Rei, he said-- letting out a sigh of relief, "I'm glad   
you saw that too, I was afraid I was imagining things."  
  
"But how?"  
  
"I don't know Hikari. There are a lot of things going on   
that are just weird... you know, my first impulse was to take   
this right to Rei and show her... but then I got to thinking.   
Rei is our friend, but she answers directly to the Commander.  
After that day at Mom's grave I'm pretty sure he told her to   
report any questions about where she came from directly to him.   
There's stuff in here that could make this whole mess make sense,   
but not if we lose it. As much as I want to ask her directly I   
just can't risk it."  
  
"I see what you mean... so what now?"  
  
"For now we do our job, keep our eye's open and our teeth  
together.... What's that look about?"  
  
"Oh, nothing," she told him as she leaned in and kissed   
him, "Just me being impressed with my boyfriend. We have some time  
before Misato and Ritsuko are supposed to show up for dinner,  
want to see if the apartment is empty?"  
  
Shinji's eyes widened, "w-what?"  
  
"Calm down," Hikari giggled, "I just wanted to listen to   
some more of your music collection."  
  
"What do you mean 'some more'?"  
  
"I played a few tapes while you were... Um, gone. I like your  
selections by the way."  
  
"Thanks, If it's the tapes I think you mean then I was  
experimenting with something at the time."  
  
"You mean how they have some weird theme? I couldn't place  
it, but all the songs on each tape seem to be related somehow. I  
still can't place it actually, I mean they were all different kinds   
of music."  
  
"Well, the experiment was that each song has a similar  
underlying bass riff. That's why it's so hard to pick up, because   
the bass is in the background so you don't really notice it on a  
conscious level. Even though the tempos change, the basic beat is  
the same. I guess it worked if you noticed it."  
  
"That's kind of cool Shinji, I never would have thought of   
that."  
  
"I really hadn't even planed on showing that to anyone.... You  
really liked it?"  
  
"I speak the truth, silly-- of course I liked it!"  
  
"Well... if you liked that... I have another little project   
in mind. Mind if I run some of the ideas past you?"  
  
"I'd love to hear them," she told him as they paid and left   
the restaurant, "we have a lot of lost time to make up for--let's   
get started."  
  
  
[]======[]  
Then  
[]======[]  
  
  
"A ramen stand?" Kaji asked Misato in surprise.  
  
"Yeah, a ramen stand... you complaining about my   
choice of dining establishments?"  
  
"No, just surprised to find one in Germany-- much less so  
close to school."  
  
"Really?" Misato asked, "With all the students from Japan I  
would have been surprised _not_ to find one so close."  
  
"Well you do have a point, so what are you going to order?"  
  
Misato ordered the most expensive item on the list--which was  
still considerably cheaper than most of the other restaurants they  
could have gone to, and after Kaji ordered as well they sat down  
to eat and watch the sunset.  
  
"I'm so glad we'll all be going back to Japan once we graduate,"  
Misato told him as she snuggled up close, "it gets so cold here."  
  
"I'm not exactly in a position to complain at the moment,"   
he said as he put an arm around her, "but you must admit that the   
countryside is lovely... hard to believe most of this country has   
been razed to the ground two or three times in the past hundred   
years."  
  
"I guess... but you can still see the scars."  
  
"On the land or its people?"  
  
"Both really. Most of the battlegrounds are so obvious   
because of all the trenches and bombings just totaled the hillsides,   
and the people... you know how they wont let us go outside of the   
town during the week?"  
  
"Yes, we've had three attacks this year alone. I don't   
think it's the people Misato, People are about the same inside   
no matter what they look like outside. Look at our own country-- we  
call anyone not of Japanese descent by what most other countries  
would consider a racial slur on a casual basis."  
  
"I guess... but you're right Kaji, this is a beautiful country.   
It's just a shame its people can't realize what they have."  
  
"So," Kaji said cheerfully, " changing the subject as quickly   
as possible-- what do you want to do next on our little date?"  
  
"Um... Kaji? Not that I'm some expert on it or anything? But   
if I'm not mistaken it's the guy's job to plan the date."  
  
"True, but I thought I'd break the pattern and at least give you the  
option before I started dragging you all over town to bore you with the  
mundane things that I'm interested in."  
  
"Well... in that case," she sat up and began whispering in his  
ear--causing his face to go bright red.  
  
"Are you serious?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
"...Then who am I to argue?"  
  
  
[]======[]  
2015  
[]======[]  
  
  
[TetsuShojo] oh crap Kensuke, I just saw what time it   
was... sometimes I hate this annoying need that the human   
body has for sleep *sigh*  
  
[TheMechSage] *lol* don't worry, we'll talk again   
tomorrow  
  
[TetsuShojo] yeah, it's just that this is about the only   
good part of my day anymore, and I want it to last.  
  
[TheMechSage] tell you what, next week we'll have   
another "date". What movie do you want to download?  
  
[TetsuShojo] hmm surprise me, but no more hentai! ^_^  
  
[TheMechSage] as I recall, _you_ were the one who   
picked that movie =P  
  
[TetsuShojo] whoops... well I better go before anymore   
of my foot ends up in my mouth. Goodnight sweetie *kisses*  
  
Kensuke logged off and, with one last longing look at the blank  
monitor of his computer, reached for the phone. It only rung once and  
Shinji answered cheerfully. He was glad that his friend was in high  
spirits, as such a mood had been rare until recently.  
  
"Oh, hey Kensuke," Shinji said, "what's going on?"  
  
"Not much, just decided to see what and your better half were up  
to."  
  
"Looks like your psychic streak is slipping Kensuke, she left an  
hour ago."  
  
"Well I was half right," Kensuke noted with a chuckle, "I mean  
she was there at least."  
  
"Give it up and just admit you were wrong," Shinji teased--  
another rarity for him. He must really be happy to be alive again,  
Kensuke figured.  
  
"Nah, I rest my case on the grounds that she was actually there.  
So anything new? Is the red death still acting funnier than usual?"  
  
"Kinda... she's been gone all day, Hikari says she'll talk to her   
at the next harmonics test to see what's wrong."  
  
"Oh... hey I have a question. I want to get Tetsu something nice,   
but I don't know where to start."  
  
"Um... why are you asking me?"  
  
"Shinji, you might not be an expert, but you do have a little more  
experience than I do with women. Not much mind you."  
  
"Well, if I were you I'd ask Hikari. I think that--"  
  
Over the line, Kensuke heard Misato calling Shinji's name.   
  
"Uh... hold on a sec," Shinji said as Kensuke heard the phone  
tap against a table. He was about to place it on speakerphone so he  
could work on a model when he realized he could hear the others  
speaking in Misato's apartment.  
  
"So we had to leave the last couple of bags," Misato was saying,  
"would you be a dear and run down for them?"  
  
"Sure," Shinji replied, "be right back."  
  
There were a few moments of silence, and once Shinji was gone  
Misato began speaking with someone else-- whose voice Kensuke  
didn't recognize.  
  
"Okay, now where were we?" Misato asked that someone else.  
  
"You were asking for classified material." the other woman  
answered coolly.  
  
"Grrrr if you use that phrase one more time I'm going to shove  
those glasses of yours down your throat--rectaly."  
  
"I'm serious Misato, I can't talk about these things. The Marduk  
institute's files are for the eyes of only about a dozen people the   
world over. The only non-Nerv personnel in the entire city who had access   
to those files was the school principal."  
  
"Right, this is where I have the problem. A junior Highschool  
_principal_ has access to the candidate pool, and I don't? Wanna run  
that one by me again?"  
  
"There are reasons for these decisions Misato, and they were  
decided upon long before you even joined Nerv. Just accept it and  
move on with your job. Don't get to deeply involved."  
  
"You are completely full of shit Ritsuko, you know that?"  
  
"Of course, you constantly remind me."  
  
The voices drifted to another room, and Kensuke pondered what  
he'd just heard. Listening in on the phone line one night he'd heard his  
father mention how odd it was that Nerv had produced a pilot just in  
time as they had. He also thought it strangely convenient that someone  
from the same school as the other three pilots attended had been the  
one. Add it all up and it spelled conspiracy, and that was one of his  
favorite subjects.   
  
"Hey Kensuke?" Shinji's voice said--startling him out of his  
thoughts.  
  
"Yeah, I'm still here," Kensuke responded quickly.  
  
"I'm afraid I gotta go and get dinner started. See you in school,  
okay?"  
  
"Sound like a plan," Kensuke said as he said goodbye and hung  
up.  
  
'So the principal has a list of pilot candidates...' he thought,   
'it just might be time to test my snooping skills'  
  
  
[]======[]  
Then  
[]======[]  
  
  
The two stumbled into the dorm room in a fit of giggles and  
fumbled kisses. Kaji just barely managed to hang his coat when a very  
demanding Misato grabbed him by the arm and dragged him further  
into the dark apartment. The immediate goal was obvious, and while  
Kaji was willing, he was hesitant to proceed in the inebriated state they  
were both enjoying.  
  
They'd begun their little party with a trip to an off campus bar.  
After a round of drinks, Misato had announced it was time to go to the  
second phase of their date-- which had been a rather steamy movie.  
Instead of the anticipated romantic atmosphere Kaji had expected upon  
finding they were the soul occupants in the theater, the movie turned  
out to be so bad that they spent the night making jokes at the on-screen   
antics.  
  
From there they had hit the bar again, and after a further amount of  
alcohol, they'd returned to the theater for yet another round of even  
more hilarious heckling. Afterwards they'd returned to the bar, and  
once last call had come around Misato had announced they were  
heading to his place.   
  
They'd had the time of their lives that night, and if Misato had  
anything to say about it, it wasn't over just yet.  
  
However, just as they reached the bedroom, Kaji noticed that  
Misato was suddenly looking a little green around the gills. Not  
wanting to ruin any of his possessions, he pulled her quickly to the  
bathroom-- reaching it just as the dam burst.   
  
As she heaved into the toilet, Kaji leaned against the shower,  
partially in relief that he'd made it in time, but also in relief that   
Misato would no doubt be feeling a little less amorous for the next few   
hours. Not that he didn't want her-- gods no! It was all he could do to   
keep his eyes off her most of the time! He had his reasons, and he'd been  
ragged on for that particular streak of chivalry, but he held to it  
nevertheless.   
  
As Misato finished worshiping the porcelain deity, he handed her a  
damp washcloth and helped her to her feet.   
  
'Drinking till she throws up,' he thought in sour amusement as he   
led her to the futon, 'I'd forgotten what party animals we collage kids   
could be.'  
  
Setting her down on the mattress, he placed a set of covers over  
her and walked to the closet where his extra futon was. She was  
asleep by the time he turned around and he shook his head and  
chuckled as she began to snore softly.   
  
In less than ten minutes, he was asleep himself-- a sardonic smile  
plastered on his face.  
  
  
[]======[]  
2015  
[]======[]  
  
  
"Rise and shine, Shinji," came a voice that roused the sleeping  
pilot from his sleep, "I need to speak with you."  
  
Shinji sat up and rubbed his eyes. Once they had adjusted he  
recognized both the voice and its owner as Kaji.   
  
"Grundlmumph," he replied as he reached for his clothes.  
  
"What language was that?" Kaji asked in a bemused tone.  
  
"That was 'I'm still asleep' for 'I'll be just a moment'," Shinji  
replied more coherently. He finished getting dressed and stumbled out  
to the hall where Kaji was waiting. Walking softly, they exited the  
apartment and Shinji noticed that it was still dark out.  
  
"What time is it?" he asked as they made their way out of   
the apartment and over to the elevators.  
  
"Around six in the morning, I think."  
  
"Why are you over so early?"  
  
"Actually I'm over late, I didn't leave."  
  
"Er... okay... So what did you need to talk about?"  
  
"Well... it's a long story and kind of hard to explain, but to   
sum things up-- I'm about to take on a new job of sorts... and if I   
take it I might be gone for a very long time. I got to thinking about   
it and I realized that I didn't have time to take care of my things--  
which I won't be needing for a little too long to simply put in storage."  
  
"Okay, I think I understand, but why tell me?" Shinji asked.  
  
"I'll get to that, but as I was saying-- I need someone to look   
after a few of my possessions while I'm gone. Consider it a long-term loan  
until I reclaim them."  
  
"I..." Shinji began to catch on, and didn't know quite what to say.  
They reached the front door and sitting under the awning was Kaji's  
car. It was a red European sports car of an older design. It looked like  
it would be more at home in some American spy movie than driving  
around the streets of Tokyo Three.   
  
As he stared at the vehicle, Kaji reached into his pocket and  
produced a set of keys.  
  
"Once you get your license, remember to get it tuned up every  
few thousand miles. The rest of my things are back at my flat, and  
there is a list of what goes to you Asuka and Misato. Take care of  
yourself, Shinji. See you around."  
  
"Kaji.. I cant take... this?" his protest turned to a question   
as he looked back up to find that Kaji was already walking down the  
sidewalk. Shinji looked down at the keys in his hands and back up to  
where Kaji was strolling away. He could hear him whistling a tune as  
he put his hands in his pockets. As Kaji rounded a corner, Shinji  
scratched his head and wondered why Kaji had sounded more like he  
was reading a will than making a loan.  
  
  
[]======[]  
Then  
[]======[]  
  
  
Kaji swam back into consciousness to discover something warm  
and pleasant to the touch pressed against him. The slight hangover  
momentarily forgotten, he opened his eyes to find the warm, pleasant  
object was in fact Misato. She was obviously awake, and as his eyes  
adjusted further to the soft light of the room, he found hers staring   
into his own.  
  
"You sleep too much," she said as she gave him a quick kiss on   
the nose.  
  
"How long have you been there," He asked as she somehow  
managed to roll the two of them onto the futon in one spin.  
  
"Not too long, you're cute when you sleep-- you know? You get  
this little droolie on the corner of your mouth."  
  
"Is that a fact?" he said with a grin, reaching over and puling her  
closer, "well, if I might be able to find something similarly cute   
about you-- but you just stay too consistent in your cuteness."  
  
"If you're trying to talk me out of my undies it isn't going to   
work," Misato said suddenly-- pressing a finger to his lips.  
  
"I know," he said with a wry smile, "its impossible at any rate."  
  
"What makes you say that?" Misato demanded as she sharply  
pulled a hair from his bangs.  
  
"You threw them at the movie screen last night," Kaji said simply   
as Misato's eyes widened.  
  
"Oh... right."  
  
"Why did you insist on getting so thoroughly trashed last night  
anyway? Not that I don't enjoy a good bender once in awhile, but not  
if I'm expecting any level of coherent company with the fairer sex."  
  
"I... I had my reasons," Misato said as she scratched a spot just  
above her ribs.  
  
"Listen, I appreciate you wanting the night to go smoothly, but I  
need to make something clear-- I'm not going to do this with you if  
you're not willing to do it sober."  
  
Misato's eyes widened as a fierce blush spread across her face.  
Kaji frowned as he realized that he'd hit on some aspect of the truth  
with that statement.  
  
"It wasn't like that," Misato said as she turned away slightly,   
"I... I was just scared. I thought that if I did that then I wouldn't   
be."  
  
"Why would you be afraid?" Kaji asked, "I know that we've only  
known one another for a month or two-- but I'd hoped you would have  
realized by now that I wouldn't hurt you."  
  
Misato didn't answer, but she began to unbutton her blouse. Kaji  
was so stunned by the action, that he was speechless as she sat up and  
removed the cloth. As surprised as he'd been by that, he was even  
more stunned to see that from the bottom of her ribs spreading almost  
up to her breastbone there was a huge and jagged scar.   
  
"This is why I was scared," she whispered, "the last guy who   
saw it was so freaked out that he just grabbed his shoes and left   
the room-- never heard from him after that."  
  
"How did it happen?" Kaji asked softly as he sat up and brushed  
a tear from her face.   
  
"I was at the Antarctic base when Second Impact happened, I  
don't like to think about it, but I was hurt pretty bad and nearly   
didn't survive. This is just a little memento from that. Kind of a   
turn-off, huh?"   
  
Kaji didn't dignify her self-effacing statement with a verbal   
answer, he just leaned in and kissed her.  
  
  
[]======[]  
2015  
[]======[]  
  
  
Later that day Shinji was just coming out of the employee's  
shower when he heard the screaming. Concerned he turned around a  
moment to pinpoint the direction that it was coming from. It only   
took a moment to recognize that the voice was Asuka's, and that it   
was coming from the girl's locker room. The door muffled the voice   
to the degree that he was unable to make out the words, but it was   
obvious that someone had angered the German.  
  
'Oh no,' he thought, 'she must be pissed at Rei again.'  
  
That theory was dashed as the sound of footsteps caused him   
to turn and find Rei entering the lounge area that separated the   
male and female baths. She was still in her Plugsuit and he could   
smell the dried LCL on the suit from where he stood. She had   
obviously not been to the baths yet. As he looked from the room   
to Rei and back, he heard another voice countering Asuka's and   
suddenly realized whom it was Asuka was arguing with.  
  
As he debated whether or not to break up the argument, the   
door slammed open and Asuka stormed out. Her breaths were coming   
out in violent huffs and she practically stomped down the hall as   
she finished buttoning her school uniform. Although he wasn't sure,   
one side of her face seemed to be red.   
  
Rei didn't even hesitate; she stepped past him and entered the  
bath. A moment passed and just as he was about to walk out of the  
lounge himself, he heard Rei's voice.  
  
"Shinji, come here please."  
  
As curious as he was concerned, he rushed into the woman's  
baths to find Rei kneeling beside Hikari-- who was sitting on the   
floor covering her eye with her hand.  
  
Forgetting everything else, Shinji dashed up and joined Rei  
beside Hikari.  
  
"Are you alright?" He asked as he placed his hand on top of   
hers.  
  
"Yeah... I mean, I will be," Hikari responded in an annoyed tone,  
"thank you Rei, could you get me some ice?"  
  
"One moment," Rei told her as she stood and walked over to the  
locker room area where the refrigerator was.   
  
"What happened?" Shinji asked as he moved Hikari's hand from  
her eye, revealing a swelling bruise.  
  
"Oh, I did something stupid," Hikari said with a sigh, "I was   
going to see how Asuka was feeling, but she started in on you and I   
got pissed off. Leaving out all the juicy bits-- we basically ended   
up fighting."  
  
"But I don't understand, why would she hit you? She's your  
friend, isn't she?"  
  
"Shinji, she didn't take the first swing," Hikari admitted   
sadly.  
  
'So that's why the side of her face was red,' Shinji realized.   
  
"I don't know exactly what's going on with her Shinji," Hikari  
continued as Rei returned, "but something is definitely wrong."  
  
"I will inform Dr. Akagi," Rei announced as she handed Shinji a  
rag filled with crushed ice, "she will look into the matter."  
  
"What will they do?" Shinji asked--concerned for his roommate.  
  
"I do not know. Harmony between the Pilots is almost as important  
as between the Eva. They may simply medicate her or place her on  
leave of absence. It is for the doctor to determine."  
  
Having said that, Rei stood and walked over to the washing area.  
As Shinji turned back to Hikari and held the icepack against her eye,  
he leaned in and kissed her on the other cheek.  
  
"Thanks for defending me, but it wasn't necessary. You know that  
I don't want you getting hurt because of me."  
  
"I know that, sweetie, but I was just so mad... I wish I knew what   
was really bothering her. Its frustrating having to dig past the wall   
she's placed around herself."  
  
"Well," he said as he helped her to her feet, "perseverance wins  
the battle."  
  
"I hope so," Hikari said. She was about to add something else  
when she stopped and grabbed hold of Shinji's arm.   
  
"If you turn around I'll be forced to hurt you," she told him with   
a giggle.   
  
"Wha?" he asked as she pushed him towards the door.  
  
"Um, lets just say that Rei still hasn't gotten the 'don't undress  
around men' thing down."  
  
"Oh," he replied as they left the room, leaving Rei alone in the  
bath to scrub off the foul smell of stale LCL.  
  
  
[]======[]  
Then  
[]======[]  
  
  
As he poured a little more soap onto the washcloth, Kaji whistled a  
happy little tune. Misato was due back with the takeout any moment  
and he was taking the opportunity to scrub up a little. They'd been  
taking turns making to food runs, this was the seventh one, he thought--   
honestly he'd lost track.   
  
He was going to hate himself when his grades came back in, but  
the past couple of days-- and nights-- had been worth it. Particularly  
that second night with the massage. Besides, he could handle a day or  
two of no-show in class, from what he'd seen last semester, both he  
and Misato had been in the top five percent of their class. It wasn't as  
if he had some major goal other than to survive until graduation. Most  
of the kids here were a sure thing to be hired-- the hard part had been  
getting in and keeping their scores passing for the duration.  
  
Suddenly, he heard a rustling and Misato was wrapped around  
him.   
  
"Hey there-- the Pizza's here," she purred in his ear.   
  
"I'll be out in a bit-- assuming you don't detain me here."  
  
"You spend too much time in the bath anyway. What, are you  
trying to wash away the sins of our past couple of days?"  
  
"No, more like one from several years ago," He said, "but that's   
a story for another day."  
  
  
[]======[]  
2015  
[]======[]  
  
  
"Hey Misato?" Shinji called as he and Hikari walked into her  
office. He switched on the light, and found that she was not napping  
behind the stack of UN paperwork as he'd suspected. Hikari sat  
down in the guest chair and grabbed a small mirror out of her purse.  
  
"I don't think it's going to swell anymore...if I'm lucky I   
won't have too bad a shiner."  
  
"Don't worry, I haven't even noticed it for the past twenty  
minutes," Shinji said, "I wonder where Misato is."  
  
"I dunno, she's usually here around now... maybe there was a  
meeting?"  
  
"Could be, wanna just call it a night?"  
  
"Sound fine to me, how's a movie and chilled ramen fest over at  
my place sound?"  
  
"Sounds great, we can check in with Misato when she gets  
home.... Um, Kodama isn't going to be threatening my life is she?"  
  
"Don't worry, she's promised to behave, so she'll at least   
try to act civil around you."  
  
"Well that's good to know," Shinji said as he took her hand,   
"by the way, you're never going to believe what happened this   
morning..."  
  
  
[]======[]  
Then  
[]======[]  
  
  
As Ritsuko turned the corner to the science building, she was  
surprised to see her friend Misato standing beside the courtyard  
fountain. The reason she was surprised was that Misato had been  
absent from class for the past week. In fact, if she hadn't left a  
message on their machine, Ritsuko would have called the police. Too  
many kids were getting beat up by the locals for her not to worry.  
  
Shaking her head she strolled up to where her roommate stood  
and called out her name.  
  
"Hey Ritsu!" Misato called back cheerfully; "I was looking for   
ya!"  
  
Ritsuko frowned. She was more than used to Misato perpetually   
perky attitude, but after ditching school for a week she wasn't in   
the mood.  
  
"Just where the hell have you been Katsuragi?" she demanded,   
"do you have any idea what your little hiatus is going to do to   
your GPA?"  
  
"Oh puleeese Ritsu, its not like I care if I only graduate   
tenth in the class instead of first. I'm not here to prove   
anything--unlike you."  
  
"Okay, okay. But seriously, where have you been?"  
  
Misato grinned the most smugly satisfied grin that Ritsuko   
had ever seen. Before she could answer, however, someone walked up  
and put an arm around her. She frowned a bit but placed her own arm  
around his waist and introduced him as Ryouji Kaji.  
  
Ritsuko was considered by many to be somewhat frigid. She had  
only been on two dates in the three years she'd been at the academy  
nor had she really had anything resembling a relationship in that time.  
She was not stupid however, and knew enough about people to  
immediately realize just what Misato had been up to.  
  
"Hello Ritsuko, we had computer programming back in our  
sophomore year if I'm not mistaken."  
  
"You're not," she said causing Misato to look back and forth  
between them suspiciously, "nice to see you again... I think."  
  
"Um, you two know each other?" Misato asked as she reached  
down and pinched Kaji on the bum.   
  
"Just from class," Ritsuko said, "although we did go out for   
lunch once when we were teamed up on a project. Oh don't look at   
him like that, he kept his hands to himself... I notice he's gotten   
over that habit by the way."  
  
"Kaji?" Ritsuko heard Misato whisper, "not that I really   
mind... but would you move your hand off my boob? You can play later--  
we're in public."  
  
"My deepest apologies," Kaji said as he moved his hand up to  
Misato's shoulder, "I momentarily forgot myself while bathed in the  
radiance of two such lovely ladies."  
  
"Don't tell me you fell for this cheesy pseudo-Shakespearean  
routine Misato," Ritsuko said as she shook her head in amusement  
  
"Why I'm shocked, Ritsu," Kaji said in a hurt voice, "this 'routine'  
as you call it is for my own amusement, I wouldn't dream of using it to  
pick up women.... Unless you're implying that it actually works?"  
  
"You two can make dirty faces at each other later," Misato told  
them, " right now I need food."  
  
"Alright, but I'm not letting you two out of my sight, you'd  
probably get picked up on some kind of PDA charge."  
  
Kidding one another all the way, the three made their way to the  
cafeteria.   
  
  
[]======[]  
2015  
[]======[]  
  
  
In the top level of the Geofront's twenty-seventh air vent, a lone  
figure leaned right beside the giant fan blades. He looked out into the  
shadows of the room and smiled. In a few moments he'd probably be  
dead, and he'd come to terms with it. Not that he wanted it to be that  
way, but his orders had come directly from Seele, and there was little  
if any chance of fooling them after the double cross he'd pulled.  
  
In a way, Kaji thought of his impending death as penance for what  
he'd done to his friends almost two decades past... that long ago day  
when they'd been starving and had tried to raid an army storehouse.  
His cowardliness that day had cost their lives. Perhaps that's why he'd  
been so sympathetic towards Shinji, every time he could help the boy  
make the right decision was a slight ease of his own conscience.  
  
Even so, he knew that there was little chance of an out. Even if he  
killed the man who would be rounding the corner any moment he'd still  
be hunted down like a dog. Seele had its hooks into everything and he  
knew of only one group that had ever confounded their vice-like grip.   
  
If he thought he had time to contact them, he'd have done it in a  
heartbeat. Unfortunately his orders had come in with no warning and  
he'd missed his window to get out of the mess. It seemed that his nose  
for trouble had finally led him too deep into the viper's nest.  
  
After what felt like forever, a pair of footsteps began to echo  
through the vent. Moments later the grim looking young man who'd  
assisted the kidnapping of Kozo Fuyutski stepped into the light.  
  
"You're a little late," Kaji said as he gripped the tiny dilinger   
in his pocket. The other man had his gun in hand, and he'd only have one  
chance to live through this.  
  
Suddenly a shot rang out-- startling both men.  
  
They looked at one another from across the room in shock for   
several eternal moments. Then the young man clutched his chest and   
fell to the floor. Blinking in surprise, Kaji pulled out his weapon and   
scanned the darkness around him. After a moment a shape stepped out from   
the corner, and he lowered his weapon.  
  
"Well," he said, "this is a surprise."  
  
"Is it now?" The woman in the back jumpsuit asked.  
  
"Of course it is my dear. I never expected you to have the steel  
for such an act."  
  
"You'd be surprised what I'm capable of Kaji," she said as she  
walked up to the body on the floor, "then again, how do you know  
that I'm not going to kill you as well?"  
  
"The fact that you just asked me that is one clue, but tell me,  
Ritsuko, just how long were you standing there? I never heard you  
come in."  
  
"I intercepted this little bacteria's message to you through the  
Magi. He wasn't exactly what I'd call professional."  
  
"I agree... so what happens now? Seele will most likely have my  
head by the end of the week anyway, all you've done is make yourself  
an accomplice."  
  
"Seele wont find you Kaji, this body as if now is officially yours.  
The Magi will record your death and Seele will be none the wiser  
unless you do something stupid."  
  
"Hmmm it seems I am in your debt... but I am at a loss to  
understand this risk you're taking."  
  
"You are one of the only friends I've ever had Kaji, don't be  
insulting."  
  
"I suppose there is that."  
  
"So where will you go now?"  
  
"Well, there is a group that can help me-- providing I can get in  
touch with them. They are notoriously elusive."  
  
"You know.. I recall telling you months ago not to get too  
involved in this mess."  
  
"Ritsuko, have I _ever_ been the type to listen to good advice?"  
  
"Point taken.... That was one thing you and Misato always had  
in common."  
  
"Oh, we had a little more than that," Kaji said with a laugh.  
  
"I ... I guess this is goodbye..."  
  
Kaji stepped up to her and gave her a warm hug.   
  
"Look after Misato for me, okay?"  
  
"I'll try, Kaji... be careful."  
  
"Always," he said with a smile.   
  
And with that he vanished into the shadows.  
  
  
[]======[]  
Then  
[]======[]  
  
  
"Hey Misato!" Kaji called as he stepped into their apartment, "I  
found a bottle of tequila you always wanted-- straight from what's left  
of California!" They'd been living together for months now and while  
most of the time he'd never been happier, they'd been a little distant  
lately. It was only a few days to graduation and he wanted to make  
their last few days in Germany good ones..  
  
The place wasn't a palace, but it was enough for two lovesick  
students. He flipped on the light and set the groceries down on the  
table. Looking around he noticed that a few things were missing from  
the living room.  
  
'Oh shiest,' he thought, 'don't tell me we've been robbed.'  
  
He sighed and walked into the bedroom, and was unsurprised to  
see a few things were gone in there as well. He scratched his head and  
was about to turn back to the living room to call the police when he  
noticed something.   
  
All the missing stuff was Misato's.  
  
A cold sweat broke out across his brow as he saw the message  
light on his phone was blinking. Nervously, he walked up and pressed  
play.  
  
Kaji.  
With any luck you'll listen to this before you   
jump to any crazy conclusions. I wish there was a   
better way to say this, but I need to move back in   
with Ritsuko. Please don't call, this is something   
that I need to work out on my own. I don't know if   
I'll be back... I'm sorry   
  
Kaji, I wish there was another way to say this   
but it's over.   
  
Goodbye  
  
He sat down on the futon in shock. It was as if someone had  
thrown him off a tall building and he was falling down and down. Even  
with how they'd been acting in the past few weeks, he hadn't seen this  
coming at all. He'd just assumed her distant attitude had been due to  
the approaching tests. What made things worse was that he'd been  
considering proposing over the past month or so.   
  
Stepping in to the kitchen, he opened the package she'd just  
received and pulled out the bottle of tequila that had arrived. He  
quickly opened it and drank straight from the bottle. As the alcohol hit  
him like a truck, he wandered back to the bedroom and erased the  
message.   
  
He then stepped up to the window and looked out at the campus.   
  
"I just realized...I never had a chance to tell you something,"  
he whispered-- knowing quite well she couldn't hear him, but needing to  
say the words aloud, "I never told you that I love you..."  
  
  
[]=====[]  
2015  
[]=====[]  
  
  
Asuka opened her door a crack and looked out. She'd just heard  
something that sounded like a table banging a wall. With the door  
open, she could hear a voice drifting from the living room, but it was  
muffled by something.   
  
Curious, she opened her door and walked out. She rounded the  
corner of the living room to see Misato kneeling beside the table that  
held the phone. The older woman's shoulders were shaking and it  
sounded as if she were crying. As she started to turn to go back to her  
room, she heard Misato speak again.  
  
"You damn fool... why couldn't you leave it alone?"  
  
Not entirely sure what Misato was going on about-- and more  
than a little afraid to find out-- Asuka hurried back to her room. She  
had more important problems than whatever Misato was sobbing  
about.   
  
They were trying to humiliate her, she knew that now.   
  
She would prove them all wrong of course. She would take the  
next angel and tear it apart, and then they would all see that she was  
a better pilot than the others. They could go on about Ayanami's focus,   
or Ikari's incredible natural talent or even Horaki's potential... but   
the truth was that none of them were anywhere near as skilled as she   
was. True, she'd had a run of bad luck with the last couple of angels,   
but she was ready to show them all that it was a fluke. All she needed   
was a chance. One opening to attack and she'd prove that she was the   
best Pilot in all of Nerv.  
  
After all-- look at her competition! A suicidal basketcase, an  
introverted little brown noser, and a lovesick snob. How any of them  
had qualified to pilot an Eva was beyond her.   
  
As soon as the next angel attacked she'd show them all what she  
could do.  
  
  
[]====================[]  
To be continued...  
[]====================[]  
  
  
Author's incoherent babbling  
  
Well another chapter done much faster than I'd anticipated ^_^  
  
I was dreading this one boys and girls and those who aren't sure--  
lemme tell you! The thing about this chapter is its more or less two fics  
in one-- not easy to do. I think I have most of the kinks hammered  
out, but if anyone has some suggestions for the final posted draft, I'm  
open to them.  
  
Anyway, I want to point out that the thing about Kaji's past as a  
kid came from the translation I received over the EML of the  
Evangelion Manga. The short story is that after second impact when  
Kaji was a kid he and some friends were starving to death and tried to  
steal some food. Kaji got caught and if I remember correctly the  
soldiers forced him into telling them where his friends were. His   
friends all died as a result, and I think maybe his brother, although I   
don't recall exactly. This was revealed during the 'you need to go kick   
the 14th angel's ass now' pep talk (okay, so in the manga it wasn't the  
14th, but y'all know which Angel I mean ^_^)  
  
Huh? Why did I let Kaji live? Well I'll be getting to that later  
(besides, I don't believe that until we see the body he's really dead--  
blame it on a misspent youth reading Marvel Comics ^_^)  
  
Lesse, things to come-- Asuka will be sliding deeper into her   
not-so-happy-place, and we'll learn more about the Marduk's candidate  
list--that scene with Kensuke was _not_ an accident. Also, as Kaji  
eluded to back there, I'm introducing a aspect to the story which may  
cause some debate, but I find to be at least a little plausible.   
  
Its interesting... in the outline I had planned some things that  
happened in this chapter were originally scheduled to occur last  
chapter, but as I wrote I realized it was too soon and pushed it back.  
This story is leading me in some intriguing directions. Originally I   
didn't intend to do the flashing back and forward. There was originally   
going to be only a couple of them, but when I started this chapter it   
just seemed the thing to do. I dunno...   
  
Anyway, other projects are proceeding nicely, I've got the first   
draft of Mojo Rising done, and am awaiting feedback... incidentally I   
could use pre-readers on that, if anyone's interested. It would help   
if you'd read Strike Fiss's Omoi series, but it's not 100% mandatory.  
  
I've resumed working on Unreal as well, I'm having trouble with a  
couple of scenes, but it's proceeding nicely-- keep in mind that I'm   
doing multiple projects at once here, so even if you're waiting on a   
specific project, at least you can rest assured that _something_ will   
come out of from Chain Lightning on a semi-regular basis ^_^   
  
anyway, last but not least, I've _still_ got that Hazard fic   
kicking around, I've about got the kinks hammered out of the outline   
now and I'll be resuming full production after Mojo is done. Also,   
that Cowboy Bebop fic is under re-evaluation as I've got some   
interesting new ideas I want to use in it that ought to make it flow   
a little better than it did before... for those of you who are   
worried about retcons, it takes place somewhere between 'my funny   
valentine' and the last four episodes. While I do have a few little   
ideas of how to do a continuation, I have no plans at the moment to   
do so.   
  
anyway, enough of my yammering-- I'm outta here  
  
LOVE and PEACE!  
  
Hotwire  
Chain Lightning Studios  
http://www.chainlightningstudios.com  
  



	10. Part Ten

  
Chain Lightning Studios Presents  
Together We Stand Book Two  
Divided We Fall  
By T. L. Webb   
  
  
The prisoner who now stands before you  
was caught red-handed showing feelings  
showing feelings of an almost human nature  
this will not do.  
The Trial  
Pink Floyd, The Wall  
  
  
[]======================[]  
Book Two Part Ten  
[]======================[]  
  
  
On the umbilical bridge of the sixth cage, Misato stood in front  
of Evangelion Unit one. She stared into its cold glass eyeports and  
wondered how long it would remain under the freeze order. As  
much as she'd come to despise the armored beast of flesh and steel  
over the past several months, she dreaded going into battle without  
it available to back them up.  
  
Unit One didn't occupy all her thoughts; however, part of her  
annoyance was directed towards Nerv itself. Time after time they  
had won only by the thinnest margins and the wildest luck. Each  
time she felt they could have drastically improved their chances if  
the commander would simply tell her what was really going on  
behind her back.   
  
Unfortunatly, she knew as well as they did that should she find  
out what Ikari was really up to she'd probably refuse to have any  
more part in it as a few of the senior staff had already done. Nerv  
was by no means falling apart due to the losses--too many were  
desperately waiting to join for that to be the case. The secrets that  
were being well hidden, and she was afraid that Kaji had paid the  
price for opening her door to them. She didn't know what she  
would do once she found the truth, but she'd be damned if she was  
going to let Kaji's sacrifice be in vain.  
  
'The Eva series is tied to the first angel somehow,' she thought--  
trying to put the pieces she had into some kind of order, 'without  
them we stand no chance of defeating the Angels... even though  
that which gave birth to them caused Second Impact. Why would  
anyone play with something like this? I remember that the first angel  
wasn't even awake when dad found it. They probably woke it up  
when they were doing whatever the hell that experiment was.  
Father was funded by Seele, who runs Nerv... did they do it on  
purpose? Maybe, but why would anyone want to put this entire  
mess in motion in the first place? It just doesn't make any sense!'  
  
She frowned and looked away from Unit One.   
  
"I hate these things," she muttered as a voice echoed across the  
cavernous room.  
  
"Major Katsuragi!" Makoto called as she hurried over to  
where she stood. He paused a moment to catch his breath and in a  
much quieter voice whispered, "there's news."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Thanks for coming with us Rei," Hikari said. They were at Ence  
Square--the building that was Tokyo Three's main shopping  
district. Hikari and Shinji had invited her to join them on a shopping  
trip, and after a little coaxing they'd finally talked her into it.  
  
"It was... not a inconvenience," Rei said a bit nervously as they  
waited outside a changing room for Shinji.   
  
"Are you sure? You sound a little uneasy."  
  
"No, I'm merely unused to these clothes."  
  
To her earlier discomfort Hikari had discovered that morning  
that Rei didn't own any clothes other than her school uniforms, and  
had made her first goal of the day to rectify that. After having her  
try on dozens of outfits they'd decided on a white tunic that tied to  
the side accompanied by a pair of matching shorts. While it wasn't  
anything she'd have bought for herself, Rei was slowly growing to  
like the outfit, and was considering expanding her wardrobe once  
their shopping continued.  
  
"Well I guess it is a little different," Hikari replied, "but you have  
to admit it's more comfortable than our school uniforms. They're  
nice and all but I prefer to wear stuff that hasn't been starched a  
few thousand times over."  
  
"Yes, I suppose it is more comfortable," Rei agreed as Shinji's  
voice drifted from inside the booth.  
  
"Are you sure about this one Hikari?" he shouted through the  
door.  
  
"Come on you big chicken," Hikari shot back with a giggle, "put  
it on and get your butt out here so we can stare at it!"  
  
"And that was supposed to be encouraging _how_ exactly?"  
Shinji muttered just loud enough for them to hear.   
  
Rei frowned as she listened to this. She did not understand the  
purpose of the mild verbal barbs that the two were exchanging, but  
they seemed to be enjoying it. She had seen this often at school,  
and it had never failed to amaze her how the closest of friends  
could constantly taunt one another and stay in good humor while  
doing so.   
  
"Okay," Shinji announced, "I'm coming out, ready or not!"  
  
The door opened and Shinji stepped out wearing a pair of dark  
pants and a shirt that had an odd fading effect in its color from blue  
to black. This would have been fine, save that the clothes were made  
of a clingy fabric and were fitting in places that made Rei blush and  
Hikari fight to reign in her giggles.  
  
"I still have no idea where I'd ever wear this Hikari," Shinji said  
as he glanced in the mirror and let out a small yelp as he saw the  
bunching effect the pants were creating.  
  
Hikari immediately began to giggle even louder as Shinji rolled  
his eyes and stepped back into the room. Rei turned to Hikari who  
was trying to catch her breath.   
  
"Why did you do that?" she asked.  
  
"I dunno," Hikari replied, "mostly just to tease Shinji I guess...  
Although I did want to see him in those," She added with a  
lecherous grin.   
  
"Why?"  
  
"Don't tell me you didn't enjoy that," Hikari said, "your blush  
could have lit up the city during a blackout."  
  
"I do not know," Rei told her, "it felt... odd."  
  
Before Hikari could discuss it in any more depth, however,  
Shinji reemerged shaking his head.   
  
"Very cute, Hikari," he grumbled as they made their way to the  
checkout counter with the clothes they had already selected.  
  
"_I_ thought so," Hikari told him as she gave him a kiss on the  
cheek, "I particularly liked the part where me and Rei had already  
made our selections--preventing you from any payback. Besides,  
just because I laughed doesn't mean I didn't like the outfit."  
  
Hikari shuffled through the armful of clothes they'd selected,  
holding the stack up enough for Shinji to see the same style of pants  
he'd just been wearing.  
  
"Are you seriously suggesting I go out in public in that?" he  
asked nervously.  
  
"Not if it makes you uncomfortable," Hikari said sweetly, "but I  
wouldn't mind seeing you in them once in awhile."  
  
"Well..."  
  
"Admit it, you liked us starring at your hinder," Hikari teased.  
  
"I will admit to no such thing," Shinji said with mock indigence,  
but he couldn't hide the grin her comment had caused and their  
laughter soon began to draw stares from the other patrons.  
  
A short distance behind them, Rei watched with fascination. She  
had only observed one other relationship from such a close  
perspective and it was nothing like this. The Commander and Dr.  
Akagi's relationship seemed to be based more on a need between  
them. She had never seen the two act in any manor resembling  
Shinji and Hikari, nor had she seen them enjoying one another's  
company as she was now witnessing.   
  
"Hey Rei, we're going, come on!" Hikari called--startling Rei out  
of contemplation. She looked up and the two were done with their  
purchases and were waving at her from the counter. Rei picked up  
her bags and followed them out into the mall. As she listened to  
them talking and kidding around, she wondered what it would be  
like to experience such a bond.   
  
Sadly she knew that it was impossible. Nerv would never allow  
it--she was too vital to Commander Ikari's plans to risk anything  
like that. She was beginning to understand why the two felt the way  
they did about one another... and she also understood that it was  
something she could never have.  
  
She did not mourn this, however. She'd never had anything like  
it before, and while she felt a slight longing for the warmth that her  
friends obviously shared, she was more than satisfied to make do  
with their friendship.   
  
As she followed them to the exits, she smiled.   
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"I don't understand," Misato asked Dr. Akagi a few days later,  
"how could Asuka's synch ratio be slipping this fast?"  
  
Ritsuko set down her coffee and sighed, "at this time we only  
have theories-- that girl's mind works in mysterious ways-- but it  
would seem that she's subconsciously blocking her own connection  
to Unit Two."  
  
"Self sabotage?" Misato repeated with disbelief, "that doesn't  
sound like Asuka, there has to be something else."  
  
"Like what Misato? I know you don't care for psychiatrists, but  
some of them _do_ actually know what they are doing."  
  
"I'll believe that when I see it. I guess there might be something  
to that though... Asuka's pride was badly damaged in the last few  
attacks, she might be convincing herself she's this bad."  
  
"A psychosomatic response is one of the possibilities we're  
considering."  
  
"I guess it's natural. Someone like her being beaten like that?  
And worse yet she blames Shinji for it. It's making it kind of hard to  
deal with at home."  
  
"Aww, trouble in paradise?"  
  
"Stuff it, Ritsu, I'm serious. The way she snaps at everyone  
lately-- I'm almost afraid she'll hit someone... again."  
  
"If we could guarantee the medication wouldn't make her synch  
ratio any worse than it was we'd put her on it in a heartbeat, I'm  
afraid you'll just have to deal with it for the time being. Sorry your  
synthetic family isn't turning out as easy as you thought it would."  
  
"Your all heart Ritsu," Misato said dismissavly as she turned and  
walked out of the lounge.  
  
Ritsuko watched her leave and pulled out a small phone. Dialing  
up her department Yuri answered almost immediately.  
  
"This is Dr Akagi, Yuri, it seems that we might be closer to a  
breakdown with the second child than we initially thought. I want an  
immediate report on Unit Three's status and go ahead and have  
them begin prepping the Fifth child... we might need him prepped  
for arrival sooner than we planed."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Well I think it's scary," Hikari told Rei as they rode the  
elevator down to the Cages, "I mean, didn't they have a really hard  
time getting Unit Zero to work in the first place?"  
  
"Yes," Rei replied.  
  
"So why shouldn't I be scared?" Hikari continued as she leaned  
against the handrail and tapped her foot nervously, "after what  
happened my first time, its everything I can do not to whimper like   
a baby whenever I get into one of the harmonics tubes."  
  
"There is no reason to fear the harmonics tubes, Hikari"  
  
"I know, but being in there reminds me of what happened with  
the 13th angel. Didn't being in Unit Zero after your first activation  
test make you think about the first time?"  
  
"... I--I do not know," Rei said, hesitating, "I do not remember  
precisely what happened during the first activation up until  
Commander Ikari opened the entry plug."  
  
"And having gaps in your memories doesn't bother you?" Hikari  
inquired with amazement.   
  
"In a sense it does, but it is unimportant in the larger scheme of  
things. Nerv requires Pilots; I am capable of piloting Eva. That is all  
that matters."  
  
"That's so sad, you should have something in your life beyond  
Ev--"  
  
She didn't get to finish, because the door opened to reveal a  
very annoyed Asuka standing in front of them. There was a moment  
as Asuka locked eyes with her and then Rei that made Hikari  
wonder if she would even step aboard, but finally the redhead  
rolled her eyes and stepped in-- immediately turning to face the  
door.  
  
Hikari had heard Asuka cursing under her breath after the synch  
tests earlier that day about having to put up with the physical  
discomfort that proceeded her time of the month. Armed with that  
knowledge she'd planed on staying well out of Asuka's way and  
had warned Shinji to do the same.   
  
Unfortunately it looked like she was going to have to deal with  
her for at least the next few minutes as the elevator made its  
descent to the lower levels of the Geofront.   
  
Fortunately Asuka apparently wanted to converse with her and  
Rei about as much as she would with Kensuke or Touji.   
  
The seconds ticked by and by as the elevator continued its  
seemingly eternal trek downwards, Hikari was just beginning to  
think that they'd make it without an argument when a soft, calm  
voice broke the silence.  
  
"If you do not open your mind to her, Eva will not move."  
  
Hikari let out a small gasp; didn't Rei know better to criticize  
Asuka? Didn't she understand what a volatile situation she was  
stirring? Then she realized that Rei hadn't been in as much contact  
with Asuka as she had-- of course she didn't understand!  
  
Sure enough Asuka practically exploded at her.  
  
"What?" she screamed, "are you saying this is _my_ fault?"  
  
Hikari took a step back, trying to hide in the corner.  
  
"Yes," Rei replied as if Asuka wasn't sneering at her, "Eva has  
her own mind."  
  
"Oh puh-lease!" Asuka said with a dismissive laugh, "its just a  
big doll."  
  
"Surely you are aware that it is much more than that," Rei  
countered.  
  
"Pfft! Things must really be going down the toilet if Wondergirl  
is giving _me_ advice, maybe tomorrow it will snow?" she whirled  
and looked at Hikari, "I bet you two are just _sooo_ happy that I'm  
in a rut-- Even though I'm still better than poor Hikari here. But oh!  
Don't worry, when the next big bad angel comes it the _mighty_ Shinji  
Ikari will charge in and save us all! We don't have to even lift a  
finger; they only need the pathetic little Shinji, not us girls. So don't  
spare any sympathy for me-- save it for you and the rookie here,  
little doll" she said over to Rei.  
  
"I am not a doll," Rei insisted with surprising resolve.  
  
"Shut up!" Asuka roared, "you'd do anything you're ordered to!  
You'd _kill_ yourself if Commander Ikari said so!"  
  
"That is true."  
  
it took a moment to sink in, but later Hikari realized Asuka'd   
actually recoiled in fright from Rei in that moment. Perhaps it was   
the way she'd admitted it; perhaps it had just been that she _had_.   
The effect didn't last long, however, and Asuka quickly pressed the   
button to open the doors. As the doors opened behind her, Asuka   
snarled and reared back to slap Rei when Hikari decided enough was   
enough. Stepping between the two, she managed to catch Asuka's   
hand just as it was rounding to strike.   
  
Asuka's eyes went wide when she realized what had happened,   
and for some reason that Hikari couldn't understand, she saw   
relief in them.  
  
Stepping forward, she left Rei behind in the elevator as the  
doors shut behind her. After a moment of silence, Hikari let go of  
Asuka's hand. The redhead drew back, holding her arm slightly as  
if it'd been injured by Hikari's grasp.  
  
"What do _you_ want?" Asuka demanded.  
  
"We need to talk," Hikari stated as she crossed her arms, "what  
is _wrong_ with you, Asuka? We're friends, aren't we? Or we were,  
rather, before that one night."  
  
"I thought we already had this discussion," Asuka said coolly.  
  
"No, this isn't about you and Shinji-- this is about us."  
  
"So? What's your point?"  
  
"I really don't understand why you're acting like this, Asuka. Rei  
didn't say a single thing to insult you back there, and you were about  
to hit her."  
  
"Bullshit, she said that I wasn't a good enough pilot!"  
  
"No, she tried to give you advice on how to be a better one,"  
Hikari said as it began to dawn on her what Asuka's point of view  
on the situation had been.  
  
"Right, and she was implying that she was better than me."  
  
"She was implying that you're attitude is why you're synch rate  
is dropping, Asuka," Hikari said with exasperation, "you can argue  
it all you want, but this isn't about who's a better pilot. It's about  
helping someone we _thought_ was our friend when she needs it."  
  
"I don't need _anyone's_ help," Asuka growled," and if you think that  
I'm going to sit back and let you all laugh at me like this you've got  
another thing coming!"  
  
"_What_?" Hikari almost shouted back, "Asuka, are you out of your   
mind? Where did you get that idea?"   
  
"If you think I'm that blind then _you're_ the one out of their   
mind, Hikari," Asuka said stepping forward into her former friends   
space, "I might be in a rut right now, but I can still out pilot all   
of you-- even your pathetic little boyfriend."  
  
Hikari's face reddened. This was exactly how their last fight had  
started. Asuka knew just how to push people's buttons, but Hikari  
was determined to see this discussion through.  
  
"I told you, leave Shinji out of this," she said as calmly as she  
could manage with the German girl in her face.  
  
"Did you start wearing your hair down like mine to keep him  
interested?" Asuka asked with a smirk-- throwing Hikari for a total  
loop. Where had that come from? And as she blushed furiously, she  
realized that the neural connectors did make her hairstyle resemble  
Asuka's.  
  
"Stop that!" she demanded while trying to regain her  
composure.  
  
"Going to dye your hair red next? I notice that your plugsuit's  
modeled after mine as well."  
  
"Asuka, I'm warning you..."  
  
"Of course, no matter how much you imitate me, you'll never  
manage to match the original. It must kill you that all I'd have to do  
to steal him away is just walk across the hall and--" there was a  
resounding smack and Asuka stumbled back, holding her cheek.  
  
Blushing furiously in anger, Hikari nursed her stinging palm and  
tried to make her eyes stop watering. Why had Asuka done this?  
Why did she have to turn every conversation into a argument?  
What was she trying to prove?  
  
"See?" Asuka said as she walked away, "I knew you were  
jealous."  
  
Hikari turned her back to Asuka and in frustration banged her  
fist against the wall-- striking the elevator call button by  
coincidence. A 'ding' startled her from her brooding, and she was  
stunned to see Rei still standing in the elevator. Had she stopped it  
to listen? Or just to wait?  
  
"Are you alright?" she asked as she noticed Hikari's tears.  
  
"I don't know," Hikari said sadly, "I can't get through to Asuka  
lately. Every time I try to help her she turns it into some holy war.  
  
"The second Child is very close to an emotional breakdown,"  
Rei told her as she reached into her school bag and produced a  
package of tissues.  
  
"Your mastery of the obvious is as impressive as ever," Hikari  
said with a bitter chuckle as she wiped her eyes, "I just don't like  
seeing her like this. I want to help-- I feel horrible that I can't seem  
to get through to her. The worst part is that we used to be friends."  
  
"They may consider replacing her after your Evangelion is  
repaired," Rei admitted, "for now the best they can do is hope she  
can function as a pilot."  
  
"I can't believe Nerv is such a heartless organization," Hikari  
sighed.  
  
"Nerv is fighting for the fate of all humanity, they would sacrifice  
all of us to win if it were necessary."  
  
"How can you keep doing this while knowing that?"  
  
"By considering the alternative," Rei told her as the door opened  
and they stepped out, "if my death would result in mankind  
surviving then I would do so... especially if by doing so you and  
Shinji would remain safe and alive."  
  
"Rei?" Hikari whispered as her eyes widened.  
  
"I have not had many friends... in my life, but I consider you   
and Shinji as such."  
  
Smiling, Hikari thanked Rei and pressed the button for their  
floor. As the elevator cycled down into the Geofront, however, her  
thoughts turned back to Asuka. It was becoming clearer to her  
what was happening to her friend... Asuka's pride was such a  
strong part of her. She seemed to be taking every slight as an  
mortal offence... and it was weakening the barrier protecting  
her real feelings. Just as Hikari had feared weeks back, the wall  
that protected that fragile inner self was starting to crack under  
the strain. She was afraid that if Asuka didn't let _someone_ in   
she'd wash out of Project E.  
  
Idly, she wondered what had happened to Mr. Kaji. Asuka  
had always had a soft spot for him. Shinji had said that he'd gone  
on a business trip... it was awful timing, because Hikari couldn't  
think of a time that she'd seen Asuka in more need of emotional  
support, and Kaji had been the only one that she'd ever seen  
Asuka allow to give that.  
  
With Asuka in such a dangerous state, it made Hikari more and  
more concerned with her upcoming activation tests, and-- not for the  
first time, she found herself wondering how far she and Shinji would  
get if they just hopped a train and tried to leave.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Kensuke had planed for a lot on his mission. He'd insured that  
he'd have access to the school by volunteering for cleanup duty.  
He'd made sure that he'd be alone by having Shinji sign up as  
well--knowing that sooner or later another test would insure his  
friend's absence. He'd made extra copies of the keys just in case,  
and had even made a detailed map of the areas that the security  
systems covered. Most importantly he'd managed to find a way into  
the building that wasn't covered by them.   
  
The only thing he hadn't planed on was an angel attack, but he  
figured it was for the best. After all, if the fighting got too intense  
any broken windows or silent alarms would be attributed to the  
battle. Even better was the fact that no one would be able to check  
up on it until after the fighting stopped-- making his chances of  
getting away with it even better.  
  
In the back of his mind he knew what he was doing was insane.  
As powerful an organization as Nerv was, it could crush him like an  
ant. If he _was_ caught he'd be disposed of simply by moving the  
body to the war-zone and blaming his death on the Angel. No one  
would be the wiser.  
  
As to why he was doing this-- that was much more insane. After  
overhearing Major Katsuragi tell that other woman that the  
principal had a list of pilot candidates he'd decided that he _had_ to  
know where he stood on the list. If he had any chance of piloting an  
Evangelion that was where he'd find the answer. He didn't need that  
information, but he wanted it so badly he could taste it.  
  
So as the rain poured off his camouflaged outfit, he threw his  
home made grappling hook and began climbing up the roof of  
Tokyo three Junior High school.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"We have visual confirmation," Shigeru announced as the image  
of the fifteenth angel appeared before them.   
  
"It doesn't appear to be moving from its position," Makoto  
noted.  
  
"No," Shigeru agreed, "it's maintaining a geosynchrinous orbit  
right above us."  
  
"So," Misato asked in a sarcastic tone, "does that mean it'll  
come down an play, or is it just gonna sit up there and throw stuff  
like the tenth?"  
  
"At that range attacking it will be nearly impossible," Makoto  
informed her.  
  
"Well, we can't do anything until it makes its move... the Evas  
can't fight it if it stays up there in orbit. What is the status of our  
team?"  
  
"Unit Zero and Two are in top condition," Yuri informed her,  
"Unit One is locked down until the freeze order is lifted. Since Unit  
three is still a few days from activation, we've hooked Horaki to the  
simulator and are having data from Zero, Two and One piped in to  
give her a idea of what to expect in combat."  
  
"Alright, I want Unit's Zero and Two to move out. Take up  
flanking positions on either side of the city and await further orders.  
Go ahead and reduce the two way link for Unit Three to just that  
from Unit One. Shinji can coach her as the others fight. But I don't  
want Asuka and Rei getting distracted during the battle.  
  
"Roger," the staff replied simultaneously as the Eva's launched.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"So how are we going to play this one?" Ritsuko asked once  
the Eva's were in position. She was looking at the data from Unit  
Two and frowning at the synch rate.  
  
"If what you and the shrinks say is correct then most of Asuka's  
problem is that she feels inadequate right?" Misato said.  
  
"Correct, but I don't understand what you're driving at."  
  
"We let Asuka take the first shot. If she manages to kill it her  
self confidence shoots back up and we can get back to business."  
  
"What makes you think it will be that simple?"  
  
"Nothing, but its better than sending Rei up there first and  
making things worse between the two."  
  
"What if she misses?"  
  
"Then we try something else. Either way she went first and that  
should help a little. If she fails... well then we tried our best."  
  
"Alright, but I hope you know what you're doing, Katsuragi."  
  
"So do I," Misato muttered under her breath, "so do I."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
As the rain poured all around her, Asuka took the particle  
beam rifle off the arminant building rack and prepared to destroy  
the Angel. It was the Nerv version, not the patchwork piece of junk  
that Superboy had used on the fifth angel. Sleek and efficient, it was  
designed with combat in mind. While the other model was more of  
a sniper's weapon, this one was made for an Evangelion to use at  
maximum efficiency.  
  
As she prepped the weapon she looked up at the storm  
clouds above and shuddered. Even if they wouldn't affect the  
targeting, she would feel much better if the sky were clear. She  
liked to see what she was killing.  
  
'And I have to kill it,' she thought, 'if I fail this mission I might  
loose my position as pilot.... I can't afford to fail. _Won't_ fail! I'll  
show them I'm not a failure! I'll show her... she can't ignore me if I  
win!'  
  
She shouldered the massive particle beam cannon and it slid  
effortlessly into place along her Eva's shoulder wings. The display  
began flashing information comforting a clean connection to the  
firing systems and as she raised it into place, the targeting display  
slid down over her face.  
  
"Targeting system online," she announced, "you want the angel  
original or extra crispy?"   
  
"Set the cannon to full power," Misato replied, "we'll have  
enough trouble piercing the AT field with the distance involved."  
  
"Roger," Asuka told them, "power levels set and building,  
targeting has been initiated."  
  
The crosshairs began to converge, but as expected, adjusting  
for the distance, the earth's gravity, and hundreds of other factors  
were slowing the process down immensely.  
  
"Target is still out of the firing range," she heard Shigeru  
announce-- as if she couldn't see that for herself.  
  
"Oh hurry up, Angel!" she snarled, "come down here and fight  
you coward!"  
  
Then, without warning, the clouds parted and a burning light  
enveloped her very being.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
As the city lit up in the distance, Kensuke whirled around and  
looked out the window. He could see the beam of light slicing  
through the clouds to some point within the city itself. Stepping  
away from the principal's desk where he'd been going through a  
stack of files he watched as a series of blasts flew from the  
endpoint of the beam-- ripping huge holes into buildings and hills in  
their path.  
  
"I hope that isn't Hikari..." he muttered as he backed away from  
the window. A few moments passed without any more blasts and  
with a little reluctance he turned back to the desk to find what he'd  
came for before anything nearby exploded as well.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Asuka! You have to retreat NOW!" Misato screamed over  
the com.  
  
"Nein!" Asuka cried as she writhed in pain, "never, I'll never  
back down, I'd rather die!"  
  
"God damnit, Asuka! If you don't get your ass out of there  
you're going do get your wish!" Misato shot back as she turned to  
the bridge staff.  
  
"Status report!" she demanded  
  
"Psychograph is... it's off the scales!" Yuri told her, "none of our  
commands are being accepted-- whatever that beam is, it's  
overloading all the neural links."  
  
"The mental circuit cant take much more of this without  
permanently damaging both her and the Eva," Ritsuko told her, any  
more and we might not be able to repair the damage."  
  
"Damnit," Misato cursed as she listen to Asuka shriek in agony,  
"send Rei the UN's particle beam cannon and relay all available  
power to her output station."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Asuka..." Shinji whispered from his place in Unit One. He  
reached over at the window connected to the mock dummy plug  
where Hikari was receiving feed from his Unit Zero  
  
"What's going on up there?" he asked.  
  
"Rei's setting up to fire now," Hikari told him in a shaken voice,  
"oh god Shinji, I could hear Asuka over the link-- whatever that  
thing is hurting her! She keeps screaming for it to get out of her   
mind.... I had to turn it off-- I just couldn't listen anymore!"  
  
As he watched the tears built in the corners of her eyes Shinji  
frowned. He knew he had to do something. Asuka might not be the  
nicest person he knew, but she had been Hikari's friend for at least  
a short time, and he owed it to her to do something. As Rei began  
preparing to fire he ran the possibilities over in his mind. He knew  
that something inside Unit One was trying to tell him something  
involving his mother, and he knew that Nerv would never allow it's  
pilot to be put in danger of another mental attack. After the twelfth  
angel he'd almost been retired just on those grounds.   
  
Damnit... he wasn't any good at this-- Misato was the tactician,  
not him! If the angel didn't attack Unit Zero then they might have a  
chance, but other than that he was at a loss as to what he could do.  
And he'd still have to get the commander to unfreeze Unit One...  
  
"Releasing final safety lock," he heard Misato say as he reached  
out and placed his hand to the edge of where Hikari would see his  
picture on her display. She did the same, creating the effect that  
their hands were touching.   
  
"All personnel, prepare for firing!"  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Just as Kensuke found what he was looking for, the window  
outside lit up even more brilliantly. As he watched awestruck, a  
beam of pure light blasted up from within the city to pierce the  
clouds above. He could actually feel the heat it gave off through the  
window, and it took a few moments to realize that it was one of  
Nervs weapons-- most likely the particle beam cannon he'd  
repeatedly pestered Shinji about.   
  
"Unreal..." he whispered as the beam faded out and the one  
from the sky continued.  
  
Finally tearing himself away from the window, he took out his  
scanner and began going over the notebook that he'd found. At fist  
glance he wondered if he'd been wasting his time, but as he got into  
it a few pages his opinion changed completely.  
  
It was a series of reports involving blood tests that they'd all had  
to take at the beginning of the year, accompanied by a personality  
and medical profile of every student in his school. Most of the date  
meant nothing to him, but the series of notes from Dr. Akagi-- who  
he now remembered as Misato's friend and coworker-- made all  
his hard work more than worthwhile.  
  
Once he had all the pages scanned, he carefully replaced the file  
and closed the cabinet--carefully setting the coffee mug back where  
it had been precariously balanced on top.  
  
As he finished packing up his equipment, he took one last look  
out the window. The beam from the sky was still cutting through the  
clouds, and whatever it was for, he hoped that the others could  
deal with it. Even more so, he hoped that the information he had  
found might show him a way that he could finally be up there with  
them.  
  
"It must be exciting to be out there like that," he thought as he  
opened the door and walked out, "I'd give anything to be in their  
shoes right now."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"No- No- No- No!" Asuka shrieked as she grasped the sides  
of her head in a vain attempt to protect it from the unwanted images  
being pounded into it, "Stop it! Get out of my mind! stop it please!"  
  
She could see herself as a child tearing apart the doll her  
stepmother had tried to give her as a present. Against her will she  
remembered the look on her father's face as clearly as the day she  
had first seen it. What was this bastard doing to her? Why was she  
seeing these things?  
  
"But Asuka," her father had asked, "it's a present from your new  
mommy, don't you like it?"  
  
"No!" she had told him angrily.  
  
"But why not?" he'd asked her, and at the time she had refused  
to answer him-- to angry and confused to even think of a response.  
  
But she was no longer that helpless little girl.  
  
"Because I'm not a child," she shouted bitterly, unaware that her  
voice was carrying across the communications links, "I grew up  
faster than other people, I don't need some stupid doll! I _hate_  
dolls!"   
  
There was another pounding burst of pain and she recoiled from  
the horrible din. Words and concepts flew through her mind faster  
than she could comprehend them. She couldn't keep up and soon  
became lost in the rush of information-- floating inside herself at its  
mercy. Feelings of pain anger and hatred overwhelmed her, as did  
memories she had thought long buried.   
  
She found herself watching her mother feed the stupid Doll again.  
For weeks she'd been doing that, ignoring her and pretending that  
_thing_ was her daughter. No matter how she cried or begged, all  
that her mother would do was play with the stupid Doll. At first it  
had frightened her, but as the days passed a cold rage had begun to  
build in Asuka concerning that stupid Doll.  
  
"Please mama!" she had cried from the foot of the bed where  
her mother sat, "look at me mama! don't stop being my mother,   
please!"  
  
As she watched this in disgust, it occurred to her that this had  
quite possible been the last time she'd cried.  
  
Suddenly the room before her dimmed, and she heard a soft  
whisper in her mind-- the voice of her mother.  
  
"Asuka, come to heaven with me, come to heaven with mama."  
  
Asuka's face paled and she spun around-- trying to pinpoint the  
voice. It seemed to be coming from all around her, but that didn't  
make any more sense than the rest of this. When the room  
illuminated again, it was because a door opened. Looking up,  
Asuka screamed. This was something she'd spent over half a  
decade trying to forget.  
  
"No!" the girl at the door screamed, "mama, no! Please don't kill  
me!"  
  
"Don't go over there," Asuka whispered as the little girl ran  
forward to where he mother hung from the ceiling. Beside the body,  
a smaller one was spinning slowly. The stupid Doll was hanging a  
few feet away. The little girl hadn't noticed this yet, and she ran  
over trying to lift up her mamma so she could get out of the rope.  
She didn't understand that she was gone forever, "stay away from  
it... don't"  
  
As the little girl lost her grip, and the body spun slightly, moving   
the face into the light. There was no denying what those pale open   
eyes meant. As the little girl screamed in horror and unbridled fear,   
Asuka felt something land on her shoulder. Turning slowly, she saw   
a shape looming over her. Four eyes glowed in the darkness as it   
reached out to her.  
  
Terrified, she shrieked and pushed back the arms-- shattering  
the illusion and finding herself back in the entry plug. As she looked  
around at the unlit controls around her, she could hear herself as   
a child shouting defiantly... "No! I'm not you doll mama! I'll think   
for myself and live for myself, I don't need a father or a mother, I'll  
live on my own!"  
  
Realizing where she was, she curled up in a ball and against her  
will, the tears began to come, "No, oh please no," she whimpered.  
On some basic level she understood that the angel was making her  
see these things, "don't make me remember this, I don't want to  
remember-- I wanted to forget these terrible things! Don't do this,  
stop raping my mind, please stop it... oh Gott it's defiling me, help  
me please! Oh what can I do? Kaji... please help me...someone  
help?"  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Unit Two had exhausted its power reserves," Makoto  
announced as Misato chewed on her thumbnail and raked her mind  
for a way to stop this brutal attack on her ward.  
  
The life support system was beginning to break down under the  
stress of the attack and they had very little time, but they also had  
very few options. They couldn't attack from the air, even if they  
could get a shot off there was no way to power the weapons. They  
couldn't approach the beam for risk of being attacked as well...  
  
"Damnit there has to be a way to get her out of there!" she said  
aloud.  
  
"Send me!" a voice demanded over the communications system.   
  
It was Shinji.  
  
"What?" Misato sputtered as her mind began to factor that  
possibility into the equation.  
  
"Out of the question!" Fuyutski informed them all, "this angel  
attacks the very mind of the pilot, we can't risk it."  
  
"Yes," Gendou agreed, "we can not allow Unit One to be  
touched by an angel."  
  
"I can do this!" Shinji insisted, "it's attacking her with memories  
right? If I know it's coming I won't be taken off guard and at least I  
can get her out of the way!"  
  
"We cannot guarantee your success," Gendou informed him.  
  
"Damnit! We can't just leave her out there!" Shinji cried as he  
slammed a fist against his control panel.  
  
"Your enthusiasm is noted, but we won't risk Unit One as long  
as we have another option."  
  
He reached down and opened a channel to Unit Zero, "Rei, go  
to Terminal Dogma and retrieve the lance."  
  
Beside him, Fuyutski paled visibly, "_use_ the lance of  
Longinus? Ikari, that's--"  
  
"We have no other option," Gendou said with a knowing smirk,  
"it is the only way to pierce the AT field of an Angel in orbit."  
  
One level down, Misato turned to face them with a frown, "but  
if we do that aren't we risking contact between Adam and Eva?"   
she asked--not realizing what she was saying.  
  
The men above gave no reply, and as she turned back to the  
monitor her eyes narrowed in anger.  
  
'So, that was just another lie,' she thought, 'but if contact  
between and Eva and that damn thing wont cause third impact what  
will?'  
  
Back above her, Fuyutski was in a panic.  
  
"You can't do this Ikari, it's far to early! Seele will never permit  
it!"  
  
"The committee has already begun mass producing Eva's five  
through thirteen, this is our chance to clog the gears of Seele's well  
tuned machine."  
  
"But we cant just--"  
  
"There is no way to reverse the hands on Seele's deathwatch,  
but we can move it forward to further our own goals."  
  
"The old men will have you killed for this! don't forget what  
they did to me."  
  
"I have not forgotten Professor, but this is the perfect  
opportunity to put our plan into action, another chance like this may  
not occur. Besides, it is not acceptable to loose Unit Two at this  
time. Odds are there will be use for it before all this ends"  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
As Unit Zero rose from the access shaft, Rei looked out to  
where Unit Two slumped forward against a building. She did not  
enjoy the company of the Second Child, but no one deserved what  
was happening to her. She lifted the lance to clear the shaft and as  
the steel doors shut, she lowered it to rest against the ground. It  
was easily twice as tall as the Eva was, and as the targeting  
calculations began, she wondered how the commander planed to  
explain what they were doing to Seele. It would have to be a clever  
fabrication to explain the action-- Seele had great plans for this  
weapon. Those plans were about to be dashed to the wind.  
  
The targeting computers finally finished their calculations, and as  
she lifted the crimson lance, she shuddered at what was about to be  
done. It was an enormous spear crafted of two bands of metal  
twisted around one another-- branching off to two twin points a  
third of the way to the end. No one had ever properly explained  
where it had come from, or exactly why it was capable of piercing  
an AT field as it did. The late Dr. Katsuragi--father of her  
commanding officer-- had theorized that the lance produced an anti  
AT field that neutralized the barrier upon contact. This would  
explain why the five people who had touched it without protection  
had reportedly dissolved to LCL.   
  
Its theoretical effects on Angels-- while not as drastic-- would  
be no less deadly.  
  
She planet Unit Zero's feet, and closed her eyes--visualizing her  
next actions. Lifting the lance into the air, she could feel the pulsing  
energy through the Eva's hands. She drew back, and as she did, the  
lance shifted in the Eva's hands-- the twin bands of metal came  
alive and began twisting together to form one single end point.  
Ignoring this, she concentrated on her target, and let fly.  
  
The lance flew from her hands, picking up speed and rending  
the cloud cover asunder as it shot past. It continued upwards  
gaining speed and momentum as it went. An aura of fire began to  
for around it as it flew through the atmosphere higher and higher  
until passing into empty space.   
  
If the angel suspected what was about to happen it gave no  
sign-- continuing its assault on Unit Two as if its destruction was not  
imminent.  
  
The lance struck the Angel's AT field and without pause tore  
through it-- striking the angel head on. There was a brief flash of  
light, and an implosion, then the angel was nothing more than a  
spreading group of glowing particles falling from orbit.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
  
They'd met up at the main exit and from there Shinji and  
Hikari ran as fast as they could to the access shaft where Unit Two  
was being prepared for retrieval. As they rounded a corner, they  
could she Asuka at the edge of the cavernous gaping hole, her red  
plug suit the only speck of color in the dreary rain soaked streets.  
As they neared her, they saw the warning tape around her and  
stopped just short of it. The words on the tape read 'quarantine  
zone' and in the center-- watching Unit Two lower into the earth--  
Asuka sat with her legs pulled up to her chest. They could see her  
shoulders shaking and hear her sobs, as they stood there, not sure  
what to say.  
  
Shinji realized suddenly that he'd never seen her cry even  
once. There had been one or two occasions where she'd come  
close-- that night before the seventh angel and once when Kaji had  
brought Misato home... but he'd never see her cross that final  
threshold.   
  
Hikari looked over to him-- searching his eyes for a hint of what  
he was going to do next. Truth be told, Shinji had no clue. Talking  
to Asuka under normal circumstances was a difficult enough  
prospect for him... but this? What could anyone say to make her  
feel better? Was there anything at all that could even be done? He just  
didn't know  
  
They stood there for several moments as he searched for those  
elusive words that might make all her pain go away. When the  
section two agents arrived he still hadn't found them. As the two  
black attired men led Asuka away, Hikari spoke up.  
  
"I'm glad you're okay, Asuka," she said as the girl walked past.  
  
"Who the _fuck_ is okay?" Asuka hissed as she turned her back  
and followed the men to the car at the curb.  
  
Tears were running down his girlfriend's face when Shinji looked  
from the retreating car. Putting his arms around her, he held tightly  
and prayed that the angel would be the last.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
As Kensuke poured through the files he'd copied, a growing  
sense of helplessness enveloped him. He'd always suspected that  
Nerv was involved in some type of conspiracy-- such a large  
organization wouldn't take the steps it had to control the media  
were it not. He'd accepted this as fact years ago. What was  
frightening him was the scope of what was being hinted at through  
the papers. He'd always considered it a national cover-up, and he  
wanted to hit himself for not seeing it earlier.   
  
Nerv was not just a Japanese organization--it had branch offices  
the world over. Whatever was going on involved far more than  
could be described with just the word 'conspiracy'. This was a  
worldwide cover-up the likes of which he'd never seen.   
  
He wanted to tell himself he was just jumping to conclusions,  
but the information was right there in front of him.  
  
Every Nerv Branch had gathered dozens of children from its  
employee's families and had placed them in nearby schools as a  
pool of candidates. What he had in this file was a partial list of the  
main three branches in Japan, Germany and the US. All these  
children were possible pilots for the Evangelions. It had at first  
excited him to learn this, until he'd seen his placement on the list.  
Apparently his eyesight had lowered his chances almost to zero of  
ever becoming a pilot.   
  
It was depressing, but he'd quickly forgotten it as he'd dug  
deeper into the files. Most of the information didn't make much  
sense to him. All the talk about genetics and blood patterns was  
beyond him, but some of it he recognized. There was something  
about AT Fields, and projected synch patterns. There were also  
detailed psychological reports on most of the students. He was  
more than a little thankful that he wasn't in that file.   
  
Of more interest was the list of names on the Marduk institute's  
board of directors. He recognized a several of the names from  
Nerv-- Akagi, and Ikari were two that sprung off the page  
immediately. The rest-- Kiel, Essex, Fuyutski, were unfamiliar.   
  
'Ok Aida,' he thought as stared at the list of names, 'you have  
this... now what are you going to do with it?'  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Just past three AM in the Nerv medical ward, a shadowy  
figure slipped unnoticed into Asuka's room. At the exact moment  
he entered a shudder would be seen on the video monitor--  
followed by a loop of the footage for the past ten minutes. No one  
would ever know he was there.  
  
He stepped up to the foot of the bed where Asuka lay--heavily  
sedated-- and sighed.   
  
"I don't know if you can hear me," he said, "but I want you to  
know how sorry I am this happened to you Asuka. When I  
promised your father I'd keep an eye on you I still had no idea of  
how deep I'd be getting myself involved with what's happening  
here. You deserved better than this... but you have to remember  
that as long as you're still alive there is a chance of making it  
through this mess. Don't let this stop you, move ahead and don't  
look back. Asuka. You're one of the strongest people I've ever  
met, but even you are going to find that once in awhile you need  
help. Don't be afraid to accept it. I wish I could say this under  
better circumstances, I'm sorry. Goodbye Asuka, and good luck."  
  
As Kaji turned and slipped silently out the door, the camera's  
returned to normal and Asuka moaned, and as she turned to her  
side and a tear rolled down her cheek. She was not actually asleep  
and had indeed heard what he'd told her, but the drugs they had her  
on would cause her to believe what had just happened was all just  
a dream.   
  
  
[]===================[]  
To be continued...  
[]===================[]  
  
  
Author's Incoherent Babbling  
  
Well, we're close to the end of Book Two, and things are  
starting to develop about the way I planed. As to just what  
Kensuke will be doing with that information is going to have to wait  
until the intermission between books two and three. I plan on doing  
it as kind of a behind the scenes story, and it will be mostly about  
Ken's internet friend and a few other characters that have come and  
gone throughout the story thus far.   
  
I've thought and thought about it, and I've decided to do  
something that's going to be kinda risky with the next chapter. I'm  
going to make Rei giggle. Don't flame me until you see it happen-- I  
think I have a way for it to actually make sense and keep her  
mostly in character. ^_^ Trust me ^_^  
  
For those of you wondering what was so unusual about the  
clothes that Hikari had Shinji trying on, check out the cover to the  
Angel Sanctuary OVA. Ran across that a week or so ago and  
decided that it was rather close to what I had in mind during that  
scene (I haven't seen that show myself, but from what I hear its  
rather... I think disturbing works as a description-- two words,  
incestuous angels. Nuff said)  
  
Here's an interesting question... just which character was this  
chapter's opening quote from The Wall aimed at?   
  
Lets see... that's about all I gots for this chapter, although I want  
to add that Led Zeppelin makes for some excellent background  
music when writing an Eva story ^_^  
  
  
Stay cool y'all  
  
Hotwire  
Chain Lightning Studios  
http://www.chainlightningstudios.com  



	11. Part Eleven

  
  
Chain Lightning Studios Presents  
Together We Stand Book Two  
Divided We Fall  
By T. L. Webb  
  
  
what shall we use to fill the empty spaces  
where we used to talk  
how shall I fill the final places  
how shall I complete the wall  
Pink Floyd  
The Wall  
  
  
[]=========================[]  
Book Two Part Eleven  
[]=========================[]  
  
  
With a soft whir of gears, the door to Gendou Ikari's office  
opened and Fuyutski walked in carrying the disks that held the  
latest data from the day's activities. At the desk, Gendou sat facing  
the window. He didn't respond to his colleague's presence until the  
man was practically beside him.   
  
"How did the activation proceed?" he enquired as Fuyutski set  
the files on the desk.  
  
"About as Dr. Akagi predicted. Pilot Horaki is just over the  
activation threshold, and as soon as she becomes aquatinted with  
the system she should be up to battle levels within a month."  
  
"Very well, and the second?"  
  
"Soryu has run off, as predicted," Fuyutski said with a frown,  
"Section Two has her under surveillance down in the temporary  
residence quarters--in her old room specifically. Major Katsuragi is  
demanding we retrieve her."  
  
"I see. How does Dr Akagi suggest we proceed?"  
  
"She recommends letting her stay there with an increase on her  
surveillance until the fifth arrives. She's apparently been buying  
supplies with her credit line. If I may interject an opinion, unless the  
situation changes there doesn't seem to be any harm in it. If we  
need her we can collect her fast enough."  
  
"Very well, go along with the Doctors recommendation, but  
keep me updated on her status. Until Horaki is combat ready we  
will most likely have use for her--no matter how far her levels have  
dropped."  
  
"Understood, incidentally, shall I reserve your and Rei's usual  
table or are you dining with Dr Akagi again?"  
  
"The former, I've been neglecting Rei as of late... and I can   
not afford to do so this late in the game."  
  
"I see, I'll make the call before I leave for my meeting with the  
city council. Enjoy your dinner."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
As soon as they arrived at the restaurant, Gendou began to feel   
uneasy. Having raised Rei from 'birth' he knew her better than   
almost any living being on the planet. Any changes in her  
personality-- no matter how subtle-- would be more than obvious  
to him. He'd only been with her a few moments before a disturbing  
realization came over him.  
  
The changes were not in the least subtle.  
  
If compared to any other girl her age, Rei would still be  
considered pathologically shy and withdrawn. She spoke only when  
asked a direct question, and she was unfailingly polite as always.  
There was, however, an ever so slight lift to her spirits that possibly  
only Gendou would have noticed. She spoke warmly of Pilots  
Horaki and Ikari as she told him of their trip to the shopping  
Center. Most interestingly had been a moment where she used Pilot  
Horaki's first name-- something he'd never heard her do before  
with anyone.   
  
She smiled no less than three times during their meal, and each  
time he had to fight to remain calm. It was not just the fact that such  
a dangerous creature was developing bonds to others than  
himself-- that had been anticipated. It was that she was beginning  
to painfully resemble his late wife, and each smile was like a blazing  
hot needle in his heart.   
  
"What is your opinion of the other Pilots' relationship?" he  
asked, curious as to just how much she understood of what she  
was seeing.  
  
"I have not been able to reach any conclusion," she replied,  
"what I have read and seen in films has been chaotic and mostly  
useless. Some books claim that relationships grow out of nothing  
more than physical attraction, yet the two have not proceeded to  
any deeper intimacy than kissing. Despite many opportunities to do  
so, they have not... I believe the term is consummated. I have been  
invited to join them to a celebratory gathering relating to Pilot Horaki's  
activation, and with your permission would like to go. It might  
further my understanding."  
  
He paused for a moment to think that over. As of yet he'd found  
no reason to stop Rei from socializing with the others. Despite the  
slight risk that she might grow beyond his control, the risk was  
greater if her were to begin denying her the opportunities. All the  
failsafes in the world might not help if she began displaying the  
rebelliousness typical of a girl her age. Should he begin ordering her  
to cease her contact with the others, it was highly likely she'd resent  
him for it. It was a dangerous game that he was playing, and rather  
than alienating her-- his top priority was to keep her in his thrall for   
the final move.  
  
"Very well," he told her.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Later that evening, as Misato drove him to the Horaki residence  
for the activation party, Shinji shifted around in his seat and looked  
nervous.  
  
"I don't know about this Misato," he told her, "I'm going to feel  
kind of weird being there."  
  
"That's it," Misato said with a shake of her head, "I officially  
give up on trying to figure you out Ikari. Most guy's your age would  
kill to be the only male at a jammie-jam... strike that, most _guys_  
would kill for that."  
  
"Most guys don't have to worry about having their girlfriend  
there," Shinji responded, "I'm probably going to be strangled before  
the night is over."  
  
He sat back in the seat and sighed, and Misato raised an  
eyebrow and demanded he elaborate.  
  
"I've seen that little nothing you call your pajamas! How am I  
supposed to keep my eyes to myself if all of you are running around  
like that all night?"  
  
"Shinji," Misato said as she tried not to laugh, "you are the most  
considerate, weirdest, sweetest, most screwed up kid I've ever  
met... and I think you're worrying about nothing. I doubt Rei will  
even show up, and Kodama is still waaaay to practical to  
underdress like me--"  
  
"You mean to say you haven't finished corrupting her yet?"  
Shinji inquired with a laugh--which Misato ignored as she  
continued.  
  
"Besides," She said, "I'm sure you'll be too busy sneaking kisses  
from your sweetie to drool over any of us."  
  
"How come every time I start to worry you always make it  
seem like I'm wasting my time with it?" Shinji asked with a laugh.  
  
"Because you insist on panicking over every little thing.  
Remember this-- Rule number one; don't sweat the small stuff. Rule  
number two; it's _all_ small stuff."  
  
Shinji shook his head and smiled as they pulled into the  
driveway. Misato was still the strangest combination of maturity and  
immaturity he'd ever seen, but he was glad to have her as his  
guardian.   
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Tucked away in a corner of the Geofront was a complex that  
had originally been used for temporary quarters during its original  
excavation. After the preliminary work had been completed most of  
the staff had moved to a more comfortable set of buildings  
above ground until the construction of Tokyo Three had been  
completed. Rei still lived in this second set of apartments, while the  
first set had long been abandoned. Nowadays it was only used as  
temporary living accommodations for new Nerv personnel until  
actual residence could be arranged within the city itself.   
  
During her first few days in Japan Asuka had lived there, and  
on a whim had kept the key to her room. Now-- as she lay in the  
small, dark room curled up on the bed-- she thought back to the  
odd dream she'd had before they'd released her from the hospital.  
Had it not been for one thing she could almost believe it had been  
real.   
  
That one thing was something she'd heard a day or so before  
the battle with the fifteenth angel. She'd been getting a glass of  
water when she noticed that the answering machine was missing.  
Puzzled by the disappearance-- and seeing that the phone was still  
there, she checked the living room, and on a hunch Misato's room.   
  
Having found it, she had just been about to return to her room  
when she noticed that the message light was still blinking. Now  
completely confused, she walked over to the desk and pressed the  
switch to play the message. Seconds later she backed out of  
Misato's room-- trembling in uncertainty and fear.  
  
She didn't want to know what the message she heard meant.  
She didn't want to think about it. She didn't want to believe Kaji  
was....   
  
"Shut up shut _up_!" she told herself as she curled up tighter into  
her fetal position on the bed.   
  
As she cried silently in the dark, a hidden inferred camera above  
recorded everything.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
As the third movie of the evening ended, Shinji got up to change  
the discs. Nozomi had been sent to bed after the first movie, and--  
despite Kodama having to chase her back upstairs three times  
during the second-- she had finally fallen asleep. Kodama herself  
had fallen asleep fifteen minutes ago, and Misato was out of the  
room getting herself another bowl of popcorn. It occurred to him  
suddenly that she hadn't had anything to drink all night... he'd have  
to remember to ask her about it later  
  
Even though it prevented him and Hikari from being alone, he was  
glad Rei had come. She and Hikari had become rather close friends  
lately, and she'd said more that evening alone than in the entire first  
month he'd known her. Even so it was a little disconcerting having  
her there. She was constantly watching him and Hikari-- in fact  
paying more attention to them than the movies. He'd never gotten  
used to Rei's eyes... and sometimes he wondered if he ever would.  
  
The next film started and he stepped over Kodama's sleeping  
form to settle back down beside Hikari. As she snuggled up against  
him he smiled-- thinking back to when Rei had first shown up.  
Apparently Rei had either misunderstood that she was supposed to  
bring pajamas to a pajama party, or she didn't have any to begin  
with-- something Shinji had tactfully refrained from asking about...   
  
After realizing this, Hikari had taken Rei to her room and soon  
the two immerged wearing Chinese style silk pajamas. He himself  
had --after dismissing Misato's tactless suggestion-- changed into  
his shorts and a tank top, while Misato had insisted on wearing a  
negligee that was probably illegal in some counties. After Kodama  
had changed into her own silk pajamas they'd prepared the snacks  
and the party had begun.   
  
Now as Misato returned and sat down besides Rei they all  
settled in to watch the movie-- a romantic comedy that Misato had  
insisted on. He and Hikari chuckled quietly together at the antics  
on screen, but after a few moments, he felt Hikari's head turn  
against his shoulder.  
  
"Aren't you enjoying the movie Rei?" Hikari asked.  
  
"I find it very interesting," Rei replied as she took another  
handful of popcorn from the bowl Misato had brought back with  
her.  
  
"But you aren't laughing," Hikari pointed out.  
  
"Should I be?" Rei asked curiously.  
  
"I guess," Hikari said as she sat up, "come to think of it, I've  
never heard you laugh before."  
  
"I do not believe I ever have," Rei agreed after a thoughtful  
moment.  
  
"I'd ask if you were kidding," Hikari said blinking in surprise,  
"but you don't."  
  
"I... am sorry," Rei said blushing slightly.  
  
"No need to be," Misato said cheerfully, "we just have to figure  
out what'll make you laugh... what do you think is funny?"  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
"Well," Misato said, nonplused, "come to think about it-- if we  
just sit around telling jokes that could take weeks... hey, I think I  
have an idea!"  
  
"What is that?" Rei asked, intrigued at the possibility of a new  
experience.  
  
Misato's smile turned to a grin.  
  
"Just this," she said as she reached over to Rei's side-- tickling  
the younger girl without warning.   
  
Rei's eyes went wide and she let out a small yelp as she jumped  
back reflexively. Her surprised look was replaced by one of  
puzzlement and as Shinji watched a small smile briefly flashed  
across her lips. Beside him, Hikari began to laugh.  
  
"W--why... what was that?" Rei asked as Misato turned to him  
with another grin.  
  
"Hey Shinji, did you know Rei was ticklish?" she asked  
  
"Um.. No?" he said, not sure what was going on, but finding it  
hard not to laugh himself.  
  
"Yep, check this out," Misato said as she turned back and  
started to tickle Rei once again.   
  
Rei didn't seem to dislike it, but squirmed and tried to pull away  
as her cries grew louder. Finally-- to Shinji's own surprise-- the  
yelps gave way to laughs. Misato stopped after a moment and as  
Rei caught her breath she sat up with a startled, but happy, look on  
her face.  
  
"That was... new," she said, "does everyone respond the same?"  
  
"Well I guess most people-- eek!" suddenly Rei poked Misato  
lightly in the ribs, revealing that she wasn't the only person in the  
room who was ticklish. After a few moments Hikari jumped up and  
joined in. Over to the side, Kodama sat up and rubbed her eyes  
before laughing at the sight before her.  
  
'Kensuke's going to really wish he'd been here,' Shinji though as  
he watched the three laugh and squeal. He chuckled as he thought  
of his friend trying to catch every moment on tape. His laughter  
caught the attention of the girls-- who immediately stopped what  
they were doing. Suddenly he had four sets of eyes looking right at  
him.... Four sets of eyes with _very_ mischievous looks in them.  
  
Hikari looked from Misato to Rei to Kodama, and the other  
three did the same.  
  
"Rei" Hikari said, "I do believe our little Shinji is enjoying himself  
a touch too much."  
  
"Perhaps," Rei said-- her voice suprisingly calm for someone  
who'd seconds ago been in the thralls of laughter.  
  
"Think we ought to teach him it's not nice to stare?" Misato  
asked playfully.  
  
"Sounds like a plan to me," Kodama chimed in.  
  
Shinji barely had the time to gulp as all four of them pounced.   
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
The next morning Shinji woke to find all but Rei asleep. In fact  
Rei was nowhere to be seen. He sat up from his place beside the  
couch and looked around the room, but there was no sign of her  
other than the rumpled sheets of her futon. Climbing to his feet he  
stepped quietly to the kitchen where he found her sitting by the  
window calmly peeling an orange.   
  
"Good morning, Rei," he said as he sat down across the table  
from her and took an apple from the fruit bowl that they'd set out  
the night before.   
  
"Good morning, Shinji," Rei said in a tone of voice that Shinji  
almost didn't register for a moment.  
  
"Are you alright?" he asked--wondering why she sounded so  
sad.  
  
"I do not know," Rei told him as she began separating the slices  
of the orange, "I had a... a wonderful evening."  
  
"Why would that make you sad?" he asked.  
  
"Shinji," she said--turning to fix him with her crimson eyes, "I  
can not speak too deeply of this, but if you were shown something  
you deeply desired, yet knew you could never posses, would you  
be sad?"  
  
"I--I don't understand," he said, "what are you talking   
about?"  
  
Rei closed here eyes and for a moment Shinji wondered if he  
was imagining things. He'd seen her smile more and more often as  
of late, but this expression was different. He could swear the smile  
was bittersweet. She opened her eyes and rose to her feet--  
walking over to the wall where she placed her hand against the  
pattern of the wallpaper. Taking the small knife she'd moments ago  
been peeling the orange with, she made three swift incisions and  
pulled back the triangle she'd cut out.   
  
Before he could ask what she'd done or why she'd done it, he   
saw. Buried in the wall was a small device the size of a coin. Shinji   
didn't know a great deal about surveillance or security, but it was   
more than obvious that the device was some type of electronic   
monitoring equipment.   
  
He looked from the device, to Rei and back. His confusion   
must have been plastered all over his face because Rei placed a  
finger to her lips and walked back to here seat where she began  
eating the slices of the orange.   
  
"I wish I could explain it to you Shinji," she told him, "but  
perhaps it is best I do not."  
  
All he could do was nod, as he wondered what else Nerv had  
taken it upon themselves to wire for monitoring.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
She'd intended to ignore the sirens. As Asuka pulled the pillow  
tighter over her head she began to wonder if she ought to go to the  
shelters. That thought was immediately dashed to the wind as she  
remembered the checkpoints she'd have to pass between her room  
and the closest shelter. Security inside the Geofront was nothing to  
sniff at even when there wasn't a war. She'd been very careful to   
stay out of sight during her few trips for supplies and so far she   
was sure she hadn't been seen.   
  
The problem was that during an attack any movement was  
bound to receive three times the attention. If they picked her up  
now they'd-- at best-- send her to a holding cell.   
  
So she ignored the sirens until they finally died down, and was  
about to doze off when her front door was kicked open and three  
Section Two agents stormed in.  
  
"What the hell?" she shrieked as they grabbed her and pulled  
her to her feet, "let go!"  
  
"Asuka Langley Soryu, in accordance with section C of the  
Nerv Security Protocols you are required to report to the fifth Cage  
for battle."  
  
"Hell no!" she shouted as they pulled her along behind   
them, "leave me the hell alone damn you! You can't do this!"  
  
"Thank you for your co-operation," the man in black said  
sarcastically as he pushed her into their car.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
As she launched for the first time, Hikari felt a combination of  
excitement and dread wash over her. The purple and black  
Plugsuit she wore was comfortable to the point where she barely  
felt it, in fact she barely felt her body at all. Being synched with the  
Eva was playing with her senses, she knew. She'd felt it slightly the  
first time she'd been in Unit One, although it hadn't been enough to  
be able to identify the sensation at the time. It had been more if a  
subtle disorientation than anything.   
  
Her first synch tests had allowed her to identify it, and as her  
levels had grown over the past few days she'd tried to grow  
accustomed to the odd feeling.   
  
Now as she stepped off the platform and took her weapon from  
a nearby armament building she wondered what Shinji had felt at  
400%. Her own level was barely over thirty, and she still hadn't  
grown high enough to engage the AT Field.  
  
Even so, she was far from defenseless. Nerv had recently   
delivered a set of shields based on the one used against the 5th  
angel. She had a hard time believing that the clear material would  
be much good, but they'd assured her that it's material was twice as  
effective as the makeshift one had been.   
  
Rounding a set of buildings, she got her first good look at the  
angel. It was a brilliant circle of light that was floating above a   
nearby mountain and didn't seem to have any intention of moving.   
Misato had told them that it'd just appeared with no warning.   
They weren't sure what its capabilities or weaknesses were, or   
if it even did anything else other than sit there.   
  
The orders Misato had given her and Rei were to observe and  
collect intelligence until it made the first move, in which event they  
were to attack with everything at their disposal. On her map she  
could see it's position as well as her own, and closing in on both  
Unit Zero.  
  
She switched the monitor across half a dozen different  
spectrums, but most of them still showed nothing that the Magi  
hadn't already deciphered. She was about to ask for further  
instructions when Misato's voice came over the communications  
system.  
  
"That's enough... we're not going to get any more data out of  
this thing unless we take some intuitive. Both of you, take flanking  
positions and move in, lets see what it does."  
  
They acknowledged and began moving out.   
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"It's still just sitting there," Hikari announced as she arrived at  
her position.   
  
"Don't get cocky," Misato warned, "we have no idea what we're  
dealing with. Rei, I want you to move in, if it doesn't react by the  
time you're within a kilometer, open fire."  
  
"Understood,' Rei replied as Unit Zero moved in.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Rei had been suspicious of the sixteenth angel from the moment  
she'd seen it, but even she hadn't anticipated the speed and ferocity  
of its attack.   
  
Less than a second before it's swirling shape began to shift;  
she'd felt a burning sense of dread. She barely had time to warn  
Hikari before the shimmering band of light flew towards her faster  
than she could react.   
  
"Rei!" Screamed a chorus of familiar voices as the 'head' of the  
angel blasted past her AT field and buried itself in Unit Zero's  
abdomen. As she grabbed the end of the angel and opened fire on  
it's serpentine body, she began to feel a strange static in her sense--  
her crimson eyes went wide as she realized the angel was  
attempting to bond with her mind.  
  
"Hold on Rei!" Hikari shouted to her as everything began to pull  
away as if she were viewing it down a long and growing tunnel.   
  
Suddenly everything was clear as crystal as a dagger of pain  
sliced across her arm. She screamed aloud as she heard Major  
Katsuragi order Hikari to abstain from using the progressive knife.   
  
"Every time you cut that thing Rei's neural connections are  
transferring the pain reception to her, try something else!"  
  
Then everything faded away and she heard a voice that sounded  
like her own speak in her mind...  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Why the hell is it ignoring Hikari?" Misato demanded as the  
angel continued to assimilate itself into Unit Zero.  
  
"We don't know!" Makoto shouted back as he franticly ran  
tests and scans on the data he was receiving.  
  
"The AT Field!" Ritsuko shouted suddenly, "Hikari still   
hasn't manifested her's! That has to be it."  
  
Indeed, this was not the first occasion that an angel had  
attacked in accordance to manifestations of the Eva's AT Fields.  
The eleventh immediately came to mind, and both the second and  
fifth had appeared soon after the activation tests of Unit Zero.   
  
"Okay, but why isn't it affecting Unit Three like it is Unit Zero?"  
  
"Unknown," Shigeru told her, "the Magi give a 43.4% chance  
that residue from the thirteenth is preventing it from being a proper  
host."  
  
"Get Asuka up there right now!" Misato shouted, her mind in  
overdrive. If they'd just let her use Unit One they might have a  
chance... but the commander was the only one who could authorize  
that.   
  
"Have her expand her AT field to maximum immediately upon  
arrival!" she added as Unit Two was prepped for launch.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Why am I in this thing again?" Asuka muttered to herself as  
Unit Two rose to the surface of the city, "it's not like they need me  
anymore."  
  
She was totally oblivious to what happened around her-- not  
even noticing her arrival in the city. She sat in the entry plug, and  
looked out at the scene before her without really seeing it. She  
didn't see the danger Unit Zero was in, or the clumsily and futile  
attacks Unit Three was making. All she saw was two people she  
hated fighting an Angel without her.  
  
"I'm worthless," she said as she closed her eyes.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]   
  
  
"What the hell?" Misato shouted, "Asuka! Get your ass in gear!"  
  
"This is... Asuka's synch rate is below ten percent!" Yuri cried,  
"she can't synch with Unit Two!"  
  
"Damnit!" Misato growled as she turned back to the screen  
where Hikari was disparately trying to pull the snakelike band of  
light away from Unit Zero, "okay, get her out of there... we have to  
get that thing off of her. Send up a--"  
  
"Sortie Unit One, have it divert the Angel's attention," the  
commander said from above. Misato grimaced in annoyance-- she  
would have done that right off had he simply authorized it.   
  
"Yes sir," she said in place of the cutting insults she wanted to  
say, "cancel the freeze on Unit One and launch as soon as possible.  
Shinji? We're counting on you."  
  
"Understood," came the reply over the com, and Misato could  
tell he was barely holding it together. That was understandable  
given how the last battle had gone. Not being allowed to help when  
he could make a difference must have been harder on him than  
anyone knew.  
  
"What's Unit Zero's status?" she demanded.  
  
"Over forty percent of the angel has fused with the Eva, but the  
process has slowed-- the Magi suggest that Rei's resisting  
somehow."  
  
"That gives us some time," Misato whispered before activating  
the com again, "Hikari, keep it up, help is on the way!"  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Damnit!" Hikari shouted as the Angel continued to squirm in  
her grip. It was like trying to keep hold of an oiled eel on  
amphetamines. She didn't know just how much good she was doing,  
but the angel didn't seem to like it, so she intended to keep trying to  
haul it away from Unit Zero until Shinji could get there.   
  
The odd swelling beneath Zero's armor was beginning to   
advance, and she could see cracks forming at the joints as the   
contamination spread across the Eva's torso. As Hikari fought to  
keep her hold, an odd gray residue began leaking from the cracks  
in the armor. Fighting the reflex to let go she placed a foot on Unit  
Zero and continued trying to pull the Angel free.  
  
"Let her go you damn worm!" she screamed as the residue  
began to enclose Rei's Eva. As the gray muck spread, she could  
see the armor covering Unit Zero's chest-plate bulge and  
shatter--revealing a red orb that was rapidly swelling.  
  
'That's a core!' Hikari realized with a start, 'but what's   
happening to it?'  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Oh my god... we're picking up a new signal from the Angel!"  
Makoto shouted, "I think it's trying to merge with Unit Zero's core."  
  
"What's the status on Unit One?" Misato shouted as she gripped  
the headrest of the chair in front of her.   
  
"Seventy seconds left before arrival," Yuri announced.  
  
"Run a full scan on Zero's core," Misato told them, "I want to  
know what that damn thing is trying to do and I want to know  
ninety seconds ago!"   
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Shinji was moving the very instant that the restraints released.  
Gun in hand, he and Unit One charged towards the battle at top  
speed. In the entry plug, sweat beaded his brow as it dissolved into  
the LCL around him. Saving Rei was the only thing on his mind.  
He'd been refused this chance with Asuka, and he'd be damned if  
he'd fail now.  
  
As he leapt over the hill separating him and the battle he gasped  
at the sight before him. The angel seemed to be growing out of the  
Eva, and a shifting mass of gray matter was coating most of Unit  
Zero. The only sign of the Angel's original shape was the end that  
Hikari was still grappling with.   
  
Suddenly the shifting coating began taking form, and as it did  
Shinji let out a scream that was equally rage and horror. The shape  
that the mass took on closely resembled Rei's face.  
  
Charging forward he spread Unit One's AT Field to maximum,  
but before he could do anything the angel broke free of Unit Three.  
It coiled like a snake and flew towards him almost faster than he  
could react. By a stroke of luck, he managed to grab the 'head' of  
the band of light as it coiled itself around Unit One's arm.  
  
Pain flared all through his hand up to his shoulder as the Angel  
began to merge with Unit One, and he let out a scream as the   
sensation of invasion permeated his arm. As Hikari tried to   
intervene, however, he suddenly heard a voice over the   
communications system.   
  
"No, it is not yours to be one with Ikari!" Rei screamed as the  
angel suddenly jerked back from him.  
  
Looking up he saw that Unit Zero's hand had broken free of the  
gray ooze and had gripped the angel tightly. Hikari reached his side  
and -- just then registering that the situation had changed-- cried  
out Rei's name as the angel seemed to disappear into the Eva's  
core.  
  
"Look out, Her core's gone critical!" Misato screamed at them  
as Shinji realized what was about to happen. Rei had told him  
months back what she would do if captured by an Angel. Now, as  
he grabbed hold of Unit Three and spread his AT Field, he could  
see the blazing glow from the Eva's core through the mass of the  
Angel.   
  
As the core of Evangelion Unit Zero erupted with a force five  
times as powerful as a N2 mine, Shinji closed his eyes as the world  
burned all around them.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Horaki residence," Kodama announced as she picked up the  
phone. She glanced back to her sister's room and stepped around  
the corner. After what she'd been told she didn't want to wake the  
room's occupants.   
  
"Its Misato," came the reply, and Kodama let out a sigh of relief.   
  
"Thank God, I was getting nervous. Is there any news on Dad's  
condition?"  
  
"It doesn't look like it's serious and the last I heard he was  
stable. He got lucky and didn't get hurt as bad as some of the  
others in that shelter-- they're still clearing debris from that section  
and finding people. Most of the City structures were retracted at  
the time of the blast, but it's going to take months to repair the  
melted layer on top to raise them. That shelter took the brunt of the  
damage, but they think there will be a few more survivors. How are  
the kids holding up?"  
  
"Finally asleep. I don't know Misato; they haven't say a word or  
moved or anything all day... they just sat there and stared out the   
window... I didn't dare close it, I was afraid of what would happen   
if I tried. Nozomi got them to eat, but other than that they didn't   
move all day."  
  
"It's hard on them Kodama, they saw it happen. What's worse  
is Ritsuko won't answer her calls and I still don't know if they found  
the entry plug or not."  
  
"Did Rei have any family? Shinji told me once that his father was  
her guardian, but that he wasn't related to her."  
  
"I don't think so... I think she was an orphan or   
something."  
  
"What do you want me to tell Shinji and Hikari when they wake  
up?"  
  
Misato let out a sigh, "I don't know, just-- hold on I've   
got another call."  
  
The phone beeped and as she waited, Kodama stepped quietly  
back into Hikari's room. She'd had a hard time doing it, but she'd  
mostly forgiven Shinji for what he'd done to her sister. Looking at  
them now as they slept she couldn't help but be thankful that Shinji  
was there for Hikari.  
  
Kodama knelt down beside where the two slept and lightly  
brushed a lock of hair from her sister's face. It might be cruel to  
think so, but she was glad that it hadn't been Hikari that had died.  
The Eva project frightened her now more than ever. So many times  
these children had been through emotional and physical horrors that  
she couldn't even imagine... she wished there were some other way  
to stop the angels.  
  
Suddenly the phone clicked back on and Misato's voice  
startled her out of her thoughts.  
  
"Kodama?" Misato practically shouted. She sounded excited,  
nervous, jubilant and frightened at the same time.  
  
"Still here," Kodama whispered back, curious as to what had  
excited Misato so.  
  
"Get the kids and have them meet me at your front steps in five  
minutes!" she said quickly. In the background, Kodama could hear  
an engine start.  
  
"What's going on?" Kodama asked as she shook Hikari's  
shoulder.  
  
"It's Rei," Misato said, her tone edging from excited to slightly  
fearful.  
  
"What do you mean 'its Rei'?" Kodama asked-- totally  
confused. Beside her Hikari was blinking her eyes in shock at what  
she'd just heard her sister say. As she sat up, Shinji woke as   
well.  
  
"Rei's alive," Misato told her.   
  
"What's going on?" Hikari asked her as she stood and gripped  
the windowsill, "Kodama what did you just say about Rei?"  
  
"What's this about?" Shinji asked as he perked up.  
  
Kodama turned off the phone and took a few deep breaths  
before answering.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
As the two people turned the corner and shouted her name,  
Rei searched her mind for their names. The memory transfer   
process had saved most of her memories, but many were lost.   
She could recall specific information only up to a point. For the   
most part the important information had survived intact.   
Mathematics, procedures, and security information seemed to   
have transferred with little to no distortion and much of the   
training she had received for Eva and other Nerv projects had   
also been successfully given to her... it was the small things that   
were less clear. According to Dr Akagi, the programming data   
for the dummy plugs had allowed them to save her from a full   
memory loss. In this she was at least fortunate.  
  
When she had awoken the Commander had briefed her on the  
events of the past few days and she understood that the explosion  
of Unit Zero had caused a lapse in her memories. The area of her   
mind that contained that information had been saved with the data   
from the dummy plugs, and while she understood that there would   
be some gaps, she was, at least, alive. Unfortunately she didn't   
know how or why the explosion had happened. Many other   
frustrating gaps such as that existed, but she supposed it was to be   
expected.  
  
She knew these two people were Pilots Ikari and Horaki. She  
knew she had school with them, and that the older woman behind  
them was Captain--no, _Major_ Katsuragi. But beyond that it was  
a jumbled mess of impressions and distorted ideas that she could  
make little sense of.   
  
She quickly went over in her mind the information packet on  
Pilot Horaki-- who seemed to be the most emotional about her  
recovery. apparently she had socialized with the girl on many   
occasions. Several of the jumbled memories supported this.  
  
"Hello Pilot Hor--" was all she had time to say as the other girl  
threw her arms around her and began to cry loudly.  
  
"Oh thank God Rei! We thought you were dead!"  
  
"That was a premature judgment," Rei told her, a little annoyed  
by the embrace, "I am quite alive, although injured."  
  
"Oh!" Hikari said--seeing the bandages around her most likely  
for the first time, "I'm so sorry, are you alright?" she stepped back  
as the others reached them. Pilot Ikari and the Major seemed as  
emotional as Pilot Horaki, however, thankfully restrained  
themselves from similar outbursts.  
  
"I will recover," Rei told her.  
  
"We were so scared!" Pilot Ikari said, "when you destroyed  
Unit Zero we thought you had died!"  
  
Rei paused. The most frustrating thing about the process was  
that all the memories between the last transfer and her previous  
self's demise was gone forever. All she knew was that the Eva had  
detonated, she had not known the cause.  
  
"I am afraid I do not remember," she said.  
  
"Really?" Hikari asked in a shocked voice, "you destroyed Unit  
Zero so the angel wouldn't kill Shinji, you nearly gave your life for  
him!"  
  
"Did I save you?" Rei asked him in honest surprise, "I am afraid  
I have many gaps in my memories as a result of the explosion."  
  
"I couldn't believe you survived it," Shinji noted, "if a few lost  
memories is the price though, it's worth it to have you back."  
  
"I do not know," Rei said. It was strange... in many ways it was  
as if she was seeing them for the first time, yet she had several  
memories of the three of them. It frightened her, "I think... I should  
go home," she told them as she stood and walked away, leaving  
them standing in the hall looking as confused as she felt.   
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Later, back at Misato's apartment Misato and Hikari sat at the  
kitchen table as Shinji prepared some of Misato's tea.  
  
"I don't know why," Hikari said, "but it's more than what you're  
saying... it's like she's gone back to the way she was when Shinji  
first got here. I don't know... she just wasn't like that lately."  
  
"Look," Misato said, "I'm not saying that you're wrong, just that  
it's too early to jump to conclusions."  
  
"I think Hikari has a point," Shinji said as he poured their drinks,  
"did you notice how she called us by our titles? She hasn't done that  
for months."  
  
"I don't know... but I just want you two to stop worrying about  
it, I promise to do enough of it for the both of you."  
  
Shinji served the tea, and as they drank, Misato looked around  
the table. She knew how dangerous it was to question what had  
happened-- Kaji's death had shown her that. She also didn't care.  
Something beyond 'wrong' was going on in Nerv, and Rei's  
miraculous recovery was only a part of it. She decided that she'd  
find the answers that night. If she waited any longer the kids might  
get too involved, and she'd be damned if she let that happen to  
them.   
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Later that evening as Shinji and Hikari sat in the living room, the  
phone rang and Shinji got up to answer it.  
  
"Hey Shinji," Kensuke greeted him.  
  
"Kensuke? Hey how are you, I haven't had a chance to talk in a  
few days... did you guys make it through the attack ok?"  
  
"Kind of... everyone's ok, but when Hikari's dad got hurt my  
pop decided it was time to get me out of here. I'm going to be living  
with Touji and his gramps for awhile."  
  
"Y...you're moving?" Shinji asked in surprise.  
  
"Yeah, in a few days. Don't worry though, I'll keep in touch."  
  
"I know you will but still its kind of sudden."  
  
"Well there was also the wh#$%^&" Kensuke's voice began to  
break up and in a moment there was only static.  
  
"Kensuke?" Shinji asked as he checked to make sure the  
battery light wasn't flashing.   
  
"Shinji Ikari?" a different, but familiar voice asked suddenly--  
almost surprising him enough to drop the phone.  
  
"R-Ritsuko?" he asked, finally placing the new voice, "is that  
you? What happened to the line?"  
  
"Listen very carefully," she told him, ignoring his questions, "for  
the next few minutes you will be free of the secret service. I want  
you to get a piece of paper, write what I'm about to say down and  
follow the instructions exactly. It is very important."  
  
"Um.. Ok, hold on."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
A few minutes later Shinji stepped back into the living room and  
Hikari asked who was on the phone.  
  
"I'll explain on the way, we need to go."  
  
"But what about the movie?" Hikari started to say, as she  
looked up and saw the serious expression on his face, "just let me  
get a sweater," she said as she climbed to her feet and stepped   
into Misato's room.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
An hour later they met up with Ritsuko in an old part of the  
Geofront. She had been a little surprised to see Hikari, but had  
shrugged it off and soon the three of them were in an elevator  
traveling down into sections that Shinji had never seen.  
  
"What are we doing down here?" he finally asked as they  
walked down a seemingly endless hallway.  
  
"You'll find out soon enough," Ritsuko told him, and as she  
spoke Hikari gripped his hand tighter. She sounded as if she were  
angry at something, "for now suffice it to say there are some things  
that you do not know about our organization, and recent events  
have proven to me that you should be informed."  
  
He gave Hikari's a hand a squeeze-- telling her that she wasn't  
the only one Ritsuko was making nervous. As they continued along  
the dimly lit path, their guide began to speak.  
  
"Did you know I used to live here when I was about your age?"  
she asked-- but before they could answer she continued on, "yes, I  
don't think I was even sixteen at the time, but I stayed here with my  
mother while they excavated the Geofront and she worked on her  
Magi system. I even met your mom Shinji. She was a rather nice  
lady, although my own mother never liked her much. Once I  
finished my equivalency tests they sent me off to the Germany  
academy they had been building to train Nerv personnel-- of  
course at the time we still called it Gehirn."  
  
"Do you remember the first time you came into the Geofront  
Shinji? How Misato got hopelessly lost? It's almost funny, because  
even after a year down here it happened to me all the time. I  
suppose I shouldn't have been as harsh with her... then again I  
hadn't thought of the past much until just recently."  
  
She rambled on a bit longer, talking about how she'd first met  
Misato, and then Kaji. She told them about the day her mother  
committed suicide, and how she suspected that her mother and his  
father had been having an affair.  
  
"Just think," she told him, "I came that close to becoming   
your sister!" after that she started laughing hysterically and they had  
to stop until she was finished. By the time they came within sight of  
an enormous door, both Shinji and Hikari were more afraid of her  
than anything they might see beyond it.  
  
When they reached the door, she told them to wait just beyond  
the floodlights reach.  
  
"The security system will take my picture as I open the gate, I  
don't want you two in it."  
  
"I wouldn't worry about that," came another voice from the  
side. As they all spun in its direction, Misato stepped from the  
shadows aiming her gun at Ritsuko's face.  
  
"What the hell are you doing with them?" she hissed as she took  
another step forward.  
  
"Ironically they're here for about the same reason I assume you  
are."  
  
"Don't assume to know what I'm thinking Ritsuko," Misato said  
as she cocked the weapon.  
  
There was a long pause as the two stared one another down,  
and Shinji put his arm around Hikari to reassure her, and to calm  
himself.  
  
"You want to see all the dirty laundry we have down here,"  
Ritsuko said finally, "you want the truth behind the Eva's and  
project E."  
  
Misato smirked and lowered her gun, "well... maybe you   
can read my mind after all. One thing before you open the door,"  
she said as she stepped up and slid a card through the scanner, "the  
security system is disabled, you wouldn't have gotten in without this  
for about an hour or so."  
  
"Perhaps you still have a surprise or two left, "Ritsuko said with  
a sour smile as the four of them entered Terminal Dogma.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"What makes you think that was Adam?" Ritsuko said with a  
laugh as they rode a jeep to another section.  
  
"Well it sure as hell looks like it!" Misato said with a growl, she  
was getting tired of Ritsuko's patronizing attitude, and it looked as if  
the kids thought likewise.  
  
"Naturally there is a resemblance, but trust me-- that is   
not the first Angel."  
  
"Wait... are you saying that--- that _thing_ is the second angel?"  
Shinji said suddenly. Misato was proud of him-- she hadn't made  
the connection until he'd said something. Early on when they'd first  
started battling the Angels she had wondered why the one Shinji  
had faced had been classified as the Third. She'd briefly suspected  
that another Angel she hadn't seen had been involved in Second  
Impact, but after many guesses and no leads she'd abandoned the  
mind bending riddle for other questions.   
  
"Very good Shinji, you go to the head of the class," Ritsuko said  
as she shot a haughty look at Misato.  
  
"But why is it... crucified like that?" Hikari asked quietly, the Eva  
graveyard had bothered her more than anything else they had seen,  
and she was still a little shaken up from it.  
  
"To be honest we don't know," Ritsuko said, "it was like that  
when we found it-- so was Adam actually, or at least that's what  
Ikari says. He is after all the only other person than you to survive  
the expedition thirteen years ago, Katsuragi, and you didn't see  
much."  
  
"What makes you people think you can just play around with  
these things?" Misato growled back, "That... Monster should be  
destroyed right now!"  
  
"Its out of our hands. Seele wouldn't tolerate it. They have great  
designs planed for it, and you have no idea how close we came to  
being detected back there. Seele won't allow anything to alter their  
plan, even if it means destroying Nerv itself."  
  
"You all disgust me," Misato told her as the jeep neared the next  
gate, "you create all this and send children out to fight with it when  
you know-- you _know_-- that you don't have control over it!"  
  
"Calm down Misato, save it for the next part of our tour,"  
Ritsuko told her as they reached the gate.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"This looks... like Rei's room," Shinji said quietly as he and  
Hikari stood in the middle of the lab.  
  
"That's not surprising, she was born here after all."  
  
"What do you mean 'born here'?" Hikari asked as she stepped  
over to the refrigerator. She lifted a bottle of pills and read the label  
before setting them back down, "I don't understand."  
  
"That's not surprising either. What does surprise me is that you  
all still seem to think that she's just a normal girl."  
  
"I'm getting tired of these games Ritsuko," Misato said, "spit it  
out!"  
  
"I guess none of you thought it was odd that she doesn't have  
any family, birth or school records, yet has been with Nerv since  
just before it was changed from Gehirn? Or that she was 'found' to  
be the First just as we started her tests for Eva? Or that she is an  
albino? Or that she is totally devoted to the commander-- almost  
like she was programmed? Or even that she looks so much like  
your mother Shinji?"  
  
Misato glanced quickly at Shinji, who had paled at the mention  
of Yui Ikari. To his credit, he hadn't reacted otherwise, and she  
reminded herself to congratulate him-- he had more nerve than  
she'd thought.  
  
"After a point it becomes ridiculous to call them coincidences,"  
Ritsuko said with a bitter laugh, "although to tell the truth I had no  
idea what it all meant until I was appointed as chairperson for  
Project E."  
  
"What _does_ it all mean?" Shinji asked in a low, nervous voice.  
  
"Follow me," Ritsuko said as she walked down another corridor,  
"and you will see-- and no this isn't another game Misato, so put  
the damn gun down."  
  
They looked at one another, and began after her. It didn't take  
long before they reached a room lit only be an odd neon pattern on  
the walls and floors that resembled DNA strands. In the center of  
the room was a tank full of an amber liquid that was obviously  
LCL. On top of the round tank was a jumble of wires, tubes,  
cables, and fiber optics that dimly resembled a brain. As they  
stepped closer, Ritsuko pulled a small computer pad out of her lab  
coat.  
  
"This is where we program the cores of the dummy plugs," she  
told them.  
  
"W-what goes in the tube?" Hikari asked, not sure she really  
wanted to know.  
  
"Actually, Rei goes into the tube. We use her thought patterns to  
program the dummy plugs. In a sense it was _her_ that almost  
killed you when Unit Three was possessed."  
  
"Change of subject Ritsu," Misato said coldly, "_now_!"  
  
"As I was saying, her thoughts run the system, this room is a  
storage unit for the extra cores of the system," she pressed a switch  
and all around them the walls lit up.  
  
"It only took them a moment to realize that the 'walls' were  
glass, and beyond them was a round holding tank. It only took  
them a moment more to recoil in horror of what was within the  
holding tank.  
  
Rei... Reis... lots of them. Over a dozen exact copies of Rei  
floated in the LCL, all nude, and even more disturbingly, all smiling  
at them.  
  
"What the hell is this?" Misato screamed as she and the others  
turned round and round staring in disbelief.  
  
"This is the dirty little secret I brought you here to see. This is  
the truth behind Rei."  
  
Shinji started to say something, but the words caught in his  
throat as his grip on Hikari's hand tightened.  
  
"Rei," Ritsuko said, "is a clone... I think you can guess who she  
was cloned from, Shinji."  
  
"M... moth..." Shinji couldn't finish the word. He stepped up to   
the glass and placed a hand against it.   
  
"Why the hell did you do this?" Misato asked as she walked  
over to the tube, "why her?"  
  
"You'd have to ask Fuyutski, he was in charge of that little  
project," Ritsuko said as she turned off the lamp and looked down  
at the control, "you know... it's funny. I used to hate her."  
  
"Hate who?" Hikari asked as she put her hands on Shinji's  
shaking shoulders, pulling him back to where Misato stood.  
  
"Rei..." Ritsuko answered, "I was jealous, actually. Now I can't  
help but notice something that didn't occur to me until today. She  
and I have a great deal in common. We were both raised as  
slaves to Nerv's designs, we're both at the same time expendable  
and indispensable, we're both obsessed with the commander... and  
we both crave death."  
  
"What?" Misato shouted, "why?"  
  
"I'll keep that answer to myself," Ritsuko told her with a fierce  
and dangerous smile, "a person needs to have _some_ secrets after  
all."  
  
"Damnit Ritsuko, what the hell happened to you?" Misato asked  
sadly, "You used to be the most stable person I knew... now look  
at you-- you're falling apart!"  
  
"Good question... that's one I don't have an answer for... but  
lets get out of here, I always hated this place."  
  
No one argued with that suggestion.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Over the past few weeks Shinji had convinced Misato to teach  
him the basics of driving, and after a few lessons, she'd pronounced  
him a better driver than she was. Now he was glad he'd learned,  
because he didn't want to rely on the trains for what he had in mind.  
He was confident that his Nerv ID could keep him out of any major  
trouble, and if that didn't work he could always call Misato on the  
car's phone  
  
He picked up Hikari in the car Kaji had left him and the two  
drove for an hour and a half before finally reaching the monument  
where his mother's grave was. They took the basket he'd prepared  
and after setting flowers on her grave, set up a picnic not too far  
from the car.  
  
"Did you see anyone on the road after the last turn?" he asked  
as he set out the sandwiches.  
  
"No, I think we pulled it off," she told him. With her house  
bugged, and their surveillance so tight they had been hard pressed  
to figure out a way to talk about all this and insure privacy. This  
was the most open space Shinji knew of, and they doubted even  
Nerv had anything that could record voice over such a distance.  
  
"So what do you think we should do... do we ask her?"  
  
"I don't know, Shinji, Ritsuko said that she doesn't know all of  
it, so we might be able to convince her... but if she's like she was  
when we first met then she's still totally devoted to the commander."  
  
"This sounds so nuts" he said with a sigh, "what can we do?  
We're just kids!"  
  
"Yeah, but we're also famous pilots and heroes and all that, if  
we find something we have a better chance of getting it out-- with  
Asuka like she is and Unit One being picky they cant risk loosing  
us... but we still don't have anything to show that cant be covered  
up with a few tons of cement."  
  
"So it's down to Rei," Shinji admitted, "I guess I ought to go," he  
gave a weak smile, "being family and all."  
  
"We'll both go," Hikari said, "we're in this together, remember?"  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
They planed for days on just how to approach her, but in the end,  
they decided to keep it subtle.  
  
"Here goes everything," Shinji whispered as he knocked on the  
door to her apartment.  
  
"Why didn't you ring the bell?" Hikari asked.  
  
"Because," Shinji told her as he gestured to the pile of mail in  
front of the door, "if this is any indication, she probably never had it  
fixed."  
  
A few seconds passed, and after shifting the package he'd  
brought from one arm to the other nervously, he was just about to  
knock again when the door opened.  
  
"Pilot Ikari... and Horaki," Rei greeted them.  
  
"Hi Rei," Hikari said, "can we talk to you for a bit?"  
  
Rei nodded and turned to walk back inside. The moment they  
were in, all suspicions were confirmed of Rei's regression. The  
place was exactly as Shinji had seen it the day he'd walked in on  
her. Hikari let out a little gasp as she saw the mess, but kept quiet  
for the moment.  
  
"Um, we were thinking about you memory problem," Hikari  
said, "and we had an idea."  
  
Rei nodded, but still said nothing.  
  
"Well," Shinji said nervously--he'd forgotten just how disarming  
Rei's stare could be at full power, "um... I have a few pictures of  
some of the things we all did together in this scrapbook," he held it  
out to her, "I was thinking that they might help you remember."  
  
Rei blinked, and to Hikari's delight, blushed slightly, "t-thank  
you," she told them as she took the book from his hand.  
  
"The pictures of all of us are near the back, there's some other  
stuff there too, mementos that... um, were given to me to help  
remember my mother."  
  
It wasn't the safest way to go about it, but they'd decided that if  
they had any hope of getting Rei to help them then they had to  
accomplish two things-- Win her confidence back, and hope that  
the pictures of Yui Ikari they'd placed within would catch her  
curiosity.  
  
"I see," Rei said, "I will look over it."  
  
"We have to be going," Hikari told her with a smile, "I hope it  
helps"  
  
"Perhaps it will," Rei said, and there was a touch of hope   
in her voice.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Just outside of Tokyo Three, Asuka smiled as she stepped out  
of the woods. She'd remembered the layout from the map after all  
and ended up just where she'd planed. The hospital clothes she  
wore were torn and dirty from a few falls she'd taken while ditching  
the section Two agent that had seen her sneaking out of the medical  
building.   
  
As she stepped away from the trees, she took a deep breath  
and inhaled the sea air. Just a few yards away was her destination.   
  
She didn't care anymore. No one needed her, no one wanted  
her, and she didn't want anyone. There was no point in anything if  
she couldn't pilot. It had been all she had, and now it was gone.   
They'd all beaten her. One by one they'd humiliated her. She'd lost  
to Ikari when he'd surpassed her synch rate. She'd lost to Ayanami  
when she'd beaten the 15th Angel. Now, Horaki had beaten her.  
Beaten her in so many ways...  
  
So she'd decided all that was left was to follow her mother's  
final wishes.  
  
"I'm coming momma," she whispered as she stumbled over a  
stone.   
  
Just a few feet and it would all be over. No more defeats, no  
more failures. No more shame at being second best. Her momma   
would be there to make it all go away soon. If she did this one   
last thing-- the thing that her momma had wanted-- then they'd   
be together at last.  
  
As she stepped to the edge of the cliff and looked down, she  
could see the tide coming in below. In just a few seconds it would  
be deep enough to take her away from this awful place, deep  
enough to sweep her far, far away.   
  
Behind her she suddenly heard a shout, and saw the section  
Two agent burst from the woods.  
  
"No," she murmured as she stepped back off the edge, "this  
time I win,"   
  
The look on the agent's face was almost comical.  
  
Then she was falling, tumbling down to the beach below. As she  
fell she looked down to meet her fate. As the ocean rushed up to  
meet her, she whispered, "I'm comming mama..."  
  
Suddenly, violently, the sensation of falling ended. Just  
before she blacked out, the last thing she saw as the cold water   
welcomed her were a haunting pair of red eyes that seemed to   
stare straight into her very soul.   
  
  
[]=================[]  
To be continued...  
[]=================[]  
  
  
Author's incoherent babbling  
  
  
Okay, first off, I know the fight with the angel was a little...  
different. Let me explain. I haven't seen the director's cuts. I want  
to, but I just don't have access to the funds I'd need to get them. So  
I have to make do with info gleamed from the web (I know, not  
always accurate, but better than nothing... some of the time ^_^)  
now, back to the point, I've seen pics of the Angel merging with  
Unit Zero and a bunch of weird morphing going on, I've also seen  
pics of the core swelling up and making the Eva look pregnant. I've  
also heard about twenty different versions of what was happening.  
So what I did was make a guess. That being that the angel was  
using Unit Zero as an incubator to pull a Mothra and change form. I  
figure it laid some type of seed in the core and started some new  
critter growing inside the Eva. Rei's little trick with the self destruct  
saved the day an who can saw what would have been, but that's  
my guess and as I've said before Eva is nothing if not open to  
interpretation.  
  
By the way, I have no idea what Rei or Hikari's measurements  
are. I dunno if they wear the same size dress or even have matching  
shoe sizes, but judging from the character sketches in the Newtype  
100% book it looks like they have similar enough builds that Rei  
could borrow Hikari's pajamas. So unless someone out there has  
the official measurements, lets just go with the bit ^_^  
  
As to the tickling scene, I can't take full credit for coming up with  
that. The idea belongs to whoever posted the topic way back on  
the original IOW message board. So while I might have taken the  
concept and run with it, the props go to whoever that person was--  
thanks! ^_^ Perhaps the scene was overly waffy... ok it _was_  
overly waffy, but I felt having Rei reach such a peak of her  
emotional development only to face the 16th made her sacrifice all  
the more tragic-- and Rei is nothing if not a tragic figure.   
  
The shield that Unit Three is using is based off the one that is  
sold with the Evangelion Unit Four action figure. With the US   
pulling out of the Eva arms race it stands to reason that Nerv would   
send the spare parts to Japan, including such experimental  
designs as the shields.  
  
Rei's knowledge of the dummy plug program is a tricky issue. I  
Decided that I'd keep the full truth from her, seeing as how after the  
battle with the 12th angel Ritsuko said that "if Rei or Shinji were ever  
to learn Eva's secret's they'd never forgive us," I assume that part of   
that was referring to the multiple clones of Rei. I think that eventually  
the Rei's are told, but only after they've been properly trained and  
conditioned by Gendou. Its a theory, anyway. ^_^  
  
I've never really had a chance to write Kaoru, and I'm looking  
forward to what I have planned. I warn you know that we'll be  
pulling the focus back from Shinji and Hikari for a bit to focus on  
some of the others. Don't get me wrong-- we'll still have enough of  
the lovebirds each chapter, but there are a few plot threads to  
prepare and some stages to set up before the final act... which I'm  
really looking forward to   
  
What?  
  
Asuka committing suicide?   
  
All I'm gonna say is "wait for it"  
  
[Grins like an idiot and sings] tumbling down, tumbling down,  
tumbling dooooown  
  
Hotwire  
Chain Lightning Studios  
http://www.chainlightningstudios.com  
  
  
  
  



	12. part twelve

Chain Lightning Studios Presents  
Together We Stand Book Two  
Divided We Fall  
by T. L. Webb  
  
  
  
mamas gonna keep you right here   
under her wing  
she won't let you fly but she might let you sing  
mama will keep baby cozy and warm  
Ooooh babe Ooooh babe Ooooh babe  
of course mom'll help build the wall  
  
Mother  
Pink Floyd, The Wall  
  
  
[]==============================[]  
Book Two, Part Twelve  
[]==============================[]  
  
  
It had taken him most of the day, but Kensuke had finally  
finished hooking up his computer equipment and was about to  
head back downstairs to join Touji for dinner. However, once  
he'd confirmed all the systems were in order, he'd been unable to  
resist the need to check his Email after several hours of being  
unable to access it.  
  
The computer booted up smoothly, and as he scanned over the  
new files he flagged a few to be read later and opened the ones  
that didn't look like random fanmail and other info regarding his  
website. One was from TetsuShojo, and to his delight she was  
letting him know that she might be able to meet him now that he  
had moved in with Touji's family, apparently the place where she  
worked was fairly close to his new home. It was something that  
he'd begun to think might never happen, and the possibility was  
exciting.  
  
After saving it to a secured file he went through the others.  
There had been another battle earlier that day and he was happy  
to find that one of his sources had taken a few snapshots of the   
glowing band of light before he or she had gone to the shelter. It   
would be another prize find for his underground Eva newsgroup.  
  
While he openly ran a webpage devoted to the Eva series, he'd  
always been careful not to place any information or photo's that  
were not cleared by official press releases-- or at the least Major  
Katsuragi. Unfortunately, this had left him with a glut of images and  
data that he'd accumulated.   
  
On a whim, he'd started a little unadvertised newsgroup with a  
few close friends to share that information. This had exploded  
from a little gathering to a fairly large community over the past few  
months. While the size of the group had him worried, he couldn't  
help but feel a little proud of what he'd accomplished. The truth  
was getting out, and he was responsible. It was a heady feeling.  
  
He was about to go ahead and switch off-- not thinking any of  
the other mail could be that useful-- when he decided to open the  
last one.   
  
What he found both thrilled and scared the hell out of him.  
  
The Email read:  
  
Mr. Aida,   
  
It recently came to our attention that you had   
gained possession of information concerning the E   
project that no one else has yet been able to   
acquire. You are, of course, aware that under your   
previous residence you were in a dangerous position   
of being discovered, and in order to safeguard that   
information we entered your computer and   
replaced the more sensitive data with a file that   
would not get you killed should it be discovered.   
We apologize for the intrusion, but under the   
circumstances it was vital to our goals to procure   
those files. Attached to this Email is the uncorrupted   
copy. Now that you are free from heavy Nerv   
surveillance you are relatively safe from discovery. If   
you have any additional information for our group,   
or wish to get in contact, please post a blank   
message on your newsgroup under the title 'Fire   
from Heaven' and we will respond immediately.   
Again we wish apologize for the deception, and to   
do so we extend an offer of apprenticeship with our   
group.   
  
Highest regards  
  
The Prometheus Alliance  
  
Kensuke blinked in amazement, and as he opened the  
attachment he found the entire scanned file he'd taken from the  
principal's office about a month back. He knew who this alliance  
was, of course. Everyone on the net had at least heard of them.  
The thing was that they were supposed to be just an urban  
legend-- a myth. According to the rumors they were a group of  
the best hackers in the world who'd joined together to play  
watchdog to various powerful government agencies.   
  
If the stories were to be believed, then they had been active  
since the late 1990s. Until that moment, He'd never really believed  
they existed, however. He'd always thought it was a neat idea that  
there was a group out there trying to make sure that governments  
didn't keep deadly secrets from the people. Most people assumed  
the idea had been started by a bunch of Americans who watched  
too many conspiracy shows.  
  
While he thought about this he saved the file to one of his more   
obscurely named files and closed it out. When he looked back in   
his mailbox to read over the Email again--however-- he found that   
it was gone-- leaving only the delivered file.  
  
Whoever this had been was good enough to sneak into his  
system so subtly that- had they not told him- Kensuke would  
probably not have known without comparing those saved files to  
the printed copy. But had they known about it in the first place?  
He suddenly wondered who else might have been peeking around  
in his system. He'd never thought about it, but his main website  
was devoted to the Eva series, and that _had_ to have attracted  
_some_ attention.   
  
Shaken by the possibilities, he closed out his computer,  
unplugged it, and went down to join Touji for dinner.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Asuka was more excited than she'd ever been in her life.   
  
She'd just been told that she would be one of the pilots for the  
huge robots that her mama had helping to build. The one they had   
at the lab that her daddy had shown here looked kind of weird-- it   
was all wires and a big head with four eyes and while it _was_  
ugly-- it was still kinda cool. She guessed it wasn't finished  
because when they had told her about her new job they'd use a  
bunch of terms like 'projected synchronization ratio' and other stuff  
that she knew was important but she still didn't know what any of  
it meant, but it sounded like it wasn't finished yet.  
  
But while that was ubercool and all, it wasn't why she was so  
excited.  
  
The real reason she was running like a manic was that if she  
really got to fly the big robot, then maybe, just maybe, it would  
finally get her mama to stop being so scary.  
  
Asuka didn't know why her mama had been doing it, but for   
weeks and weeks she'd been pretending that stupid doll was her.  
It frightened her mostly because she didn't understand why it was   
happening. At first she'd thought it was a joke, but after a day or  
so the whole thing just got more and more creepy.  
  
The worst had been when her mama had started talking to the   
doll-- telling it stuff like if it didn't eat all its food that 'that girl   
over there wouldn't like her'. 'That girl' had been Asuka and it had  
pushed her beyond being afraid, it had made her angry. Then it  
had made her scared, and then she got mad again until she was so  
confused she couldn't keep from crying.  
  
She wasn't angry now though, mama had loved her robot  
project, and if her daughter was going to play such a big part then   
she was _sure_ to finally stop ignoring her.  
  
As the elevator doors opened and she ran down the hall of  
the hospital she laughed and dodged past the doctors and people  
milling about. One last turn and she could see the door to her   
mother's room and she could help but start calling out to her.  
  
"Look at me mama! They're gonna make me an elite pilot!" she  
yelled as she pushed open the door, "I'm gonna..."  
  
The words died on her lips as she looked into the room. The   
setting sun had tinted the sky red, and the small amounts of light   
that filtered through the blinds were framing a silhouette in the   
center of the room. Asuka's skin began to break out in a cold  
sweat as she followed the shadow up to its source.  
  
Hanging by her neck from the light fixture was her mother.  
  
Asuka's breathing began to speed up as she looked on. She   
barely understood what she was looking at, but that lack of   
understanding only made it all worse. She ran up to try to help her  
mother down, and when she did, she saw that she was too late.  
Letting go she stepped back and was beginning to cry when she  
looked to the right. The thing that caused her to begin screaming  
that day was what she saw there. Beside her mothers all to still  
body, there was a smaller shape also hanging by it's neck.   
  
It was the stupid doll  
  
The stupid doll that had taken her place at her mothers side,  
apparently even in death. Even from where she stood on the floor  
she could she that the damned thing was still smiling-- smirking at  
her.  
  
She was still screaming when the Nurse dragged her out of the   
room.  
  
In a way, she'd never stopped.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Mama No!" Asuka shouted as she burst awake, "don't kill   
me!"  
  
"Please remain still," a young male voice said to her right.  
Whatever energy she'd used to break from her sleep was  
exhausted, and as the relief of realizing that she wasn't six  
anymore washed over her, she started to slip back unconscious--  
still unaware of her surroundings, but painfully aware that the  
memory she'd nearly died to escape had follwed her the entire  
way.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
When Asuka woke again, the first thing she noticed as she lay  
on an uncomfortable surface was the awful taste of salt in her  
mouth. As she tried to spit it out, her other senses began to  
return-- greeting her with a series of aches pains and other areas  
of general soreness.  
  
"Are you alright?" the same gentle voice asked, "you took a  
rather nasty fall."  
  
She opened her eyes and found that she was in one of the  
VTOL's that Nerv used sometimes. As she coughed up some of  
what she realized was seawater, she turned to see who had  
spoken to her.  
  
She couldn't make him out clearly, it was getting darker by the  
moment and she was still woozy. He was wearing an orange shirt  
and black pants. His hair was very light, and the sunset was  
making it difficult for her to tell just what shade it was. One thing  
she did notice as she drifted back to sleep was his eyes.  
  
They were the same crimson orbs she'd seen as she'd struck  
the water.   
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
As the VTOL left the pad and the doctors rushed Asuka down   
to the medical ward, one of the Section Two officers finished  
debriefing the boy who'd saved her life. The paperwork was going  
to be exhausting, made even more difficult by the fact the guard  
who'd found her was being evasive about exactly what he'd seen  
happen. All they could say for certain was that Soryu had fallen to  
the beach below and had landed in the water. By a stroke of  
unbelievable luck someone had been there-- and had been able to  
rescue her before the tide could sweep her out to sea. That person  
had, amazingly enough, turned out to be the Fifth Child.  
  
Kaoru Nagisa seemed more amused by the entire situation than   
anything. According to his statement, he'd only just arrived in  
Japan that afternoon and hadn't planed to check in until the  
morning. As the officer finished up his notes he found himself liking  
the boy's easygoing attitude and almost ethereal calmness-- such a  
pleasant switch from most of the kids under his watch.  
  
"I don't know how many other ways I can thank you Mr.  
Nagisa," he told the pale boy, "our officer had damaged his radio   
and had you not been there we'd have never saved her. She owes   
you her life."  
  
"I could not in good concience let her die right in front of me.   
Tour thanks is appreciated, but unnecessary. Anyone would have  
done the same."  
  
"Well you probably won't get it from her, so I figured someone  
ought to say it."  
  
"Really? I had heard that the second was strong willed, but I  
find it surprising that she'd be ungracious."  
  
"You haven't seen the files, kid. This place reads like a Greek   
tragedy," the agent didn't know why, but something about this boy   
made him feel comfortable talking. He wouldn't think it odd that he  
was telling the boy so much until the next morning and by then he  
would be too worried about his job to tell anyone about it.  
  
"Interesting," Kaoru said as he looked toward the access door  
were the doctors had wheeled Asuka away, "how do her friends  
feel about this?"  
  
"Ha! If that girl has any friends left after the crap she's been  
pulling I'll eat my badge. Say, just what were you doing out there  
on the beach anyway?"  
  
"Ah, that's a long story," Kaoru said with a laugh, "my last  
name is part of the reason. being 'of the seashore' I have a great  
love for the ocean, and I wanted to find a good place to watch the  
sunset. I was just a few yards up the beach from her when she fell  
into the water."  
  
"What's the other part?"  
  
"You perhaps noticed the statue on the rocks-- just at the  
high tide line?"  
  
"I think I remember seeing something, kinda looked like it had  
wings or something."  
  
"That was the very one. This may surprise you, but there are  
thousands of those all over the world. They date back at least two  
thousand years, and the most interesting thing about them is not  
that they're origins are unknown, or even that they appear all  
across the planet, but that they are almost all at the post Second  
Impact high tide line."  
  
"That's weird, kinda like those Stonehenge rocks in Europe,   
huh?"  
  
"In a sense. I've been visiting as many of them as I have been  
able to since I was a child-- call it a hobby. I find them...  
comforting."  
  
"Well, that should do it for my report, see ya around kid,"  
  
"Good evening, Mr. Keiichi."  
  
"Huh? Sorry, how'd you know my name?"  
  
"You look like a Keiichi," Kaoru said with a whimsical smile as  
he bowed and strolled off-- humming an odd tune. As he left,  
agent Akira Keiichi glanced down at his notes and shrugged,  
before pocketing them and heading off to the car to drive home.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Shinji!" Misato hollered as he stepped out of his room, "they  
found Asuka!"  
  
"Is she okay?" he asked as he hurried into the kitchen.  
  
"She seems fine, Ritsuko says that they're going to medicate   
her... but she said that happyjuice or no happyjuice, it might not be   
a good idea for her to move back in with us."  
  
"I... But why wouldn't..." Shinji sat down as his voice trailed  
off. He let out a sigh as he slumped back into the chair. He knew  
why Asuka didn't want to come back. She blamed him, Misato  
and most of the world for what she was going through.   
  
"Hey, don't blame yourself," Misato said, "I'm just as much at  
fault here."  
  
"I know I shouldn't, Misato... I just keep wishing there was  
something I could do."  
  
"Sometimes there just isn't Shinji... I wish I could say  
otherwise. She blamed me for taking Kaji away from her... and it's  
not like I was chasing after him or anything at the time."  
  
The mention of Kaji's name caused Shinji to brighten up,  
"maybe there _is_ something I could do," he said suddenly.  
  
"What's that?" Misato asked  
  
"Well... Kaji had a garden down in the Geofront," Shinji said as  
Misato's eyes lit up, "maybe she'd feel a little less hostile towards  
me if I took her to see it?"  
  
"I am such an idiot," she said as she took a sip from her beer  
and smacked her forehead, "I listened to the tape every night for a   
month and totally tuned that part out!"  
  
"W-what are you talking about?" he asked-- totally confused.  
  
"Don't worry about it, it's a good idea, she could take care of  
the flowers for him... I'm sure he'd like that."  
  
"Misato... what flowers?" Shinji asked, still wondering what  
page his guardian was on.  
  
"The one's he was growing in that garden of course," Misato  
said.  
  
"But... he wasn't growing flowers," Shinji informed her,  
wondering just what Kaji had told her.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"He was growing melons," Shinji told her as her face went  
blank, "um Misato? Are you okay?"  
  
Misato stared off into space for several seconds as Shinji tried  
to figure out what he'd said to invoke such a state in his guardian.  
Finally, animation returned to her features as a tear suddenly ran  
from her eye to her chin followed by several more. Just as Shinji  
stood and walked over to her, she began laughing as well as  
sobbing.  
  
"Misato? What's wrong?" he asked as he placed a hand on   
her shoulder.  
  
"Just another one of my past screwups come back to haunt  
me," she said as she took hold of his hand, "Kaji joked once back  
when we were at school that if I ever gave up alcohol that he'd  
take up farming... I always thought he meant it as just a dumb  
joke, but... it looks like he was going to hold me to that stupid,  
drunken promase after all. Could you do me a favor, Shinji?"  
  
"Of course," Shinji said.  
  
"Grab as many of those bottles as you can carry," she told him  
as he gestured towards the row of liquor on the shelf behind him,   
"and meet me on the patio in a sec, kay?"  
  
"Um... okay," he replied as she got up and walked into her  
room. Shrugging, he grabbed an extra bag from the cabinet and  
started placing bottle after bottle inside. When he had just enough  
so that the bag would tear he walked through the living room and  
found Misato out on the balcony-- loading her gun.  
  
"What are you going to do with that?" he asked as he gently set  
the bag on the patio chair.  
  
"Ever go skeet shooting Shinji?" she asked him as she checked  
the rounds in the extra clips she'd set out.  
  
Shinji looked at her--eyes wide, then back to the bag full of  
what had to be several thousand yen-worth of alcohol.  
  
"You're kidding?" he inquired as he watched her down the last   
of the beer she'd been drinking earlier in one gulp.  
  
"No," she told him calmly, "it's high time I stopped using this  
crap as a crutch."  
  
Looking out to the water filled cavity that had recently housed  
Tokyo Three, she picked up her gun and turned to Shinji, "when I   
say pull, throw one of the bottles as far as you can."  
  
"All right," he agreed as she took the can and crushed it against  
the balcony, "but what about all the stuff in the fridge?"  
  
"This was the last one," she told him as she tossed the nearly  
flat circle of aluminum to him, "as of now I'm officially on the  
wagon. Are you ready with that bottle?"  
  
"Um," he shuffled through the bag and took out the first of the   
bottles, "Yeah, I'm ready."   
  
"Then we might as well get started... pull!"  
  
The gun roared in her hand a few seconds after the bottle of   
scotch left his own, and there was a flash of sparkling reflected   
light as the shattered pieces and the contents of the bottle tumbled   
down to the ground below.   
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Asuka was tired of the medical building. She'd been poked and  
prodded since she'd woken up, and probably before that. To  
make it all the more insulting, they'd been giving her some kind of  
sedative with her meals, but she'd just palmed it after the first dose  
or two-- it made her feel... odd.   
  
After a few hundred excuses from the nurses, it was becoming   
clear to her that they were running out of reasons to keep her   
there. She, of course, knew that the Section Two agent hadn't   
told them the whole truth about her little swan dive. He'd most   
likely be shot if he admitted he'd been within sight when she   
fell. As far as anyone here knew she'd just tripped, and she   
wasn't about to admit otherwise.  
  
She felt... weird about having survived. At the time she'd been  
fully prepared to end it all, but when she'd first woken up, the  
driving need she'd felt to do it had faded. She wasn't sure if it  
would come back or not, or if it was just some lasting effect   
of whatever they'd given her, but at the moment she just wanted to  
go back to her room and sleep for a month-- in privacy. Having  
someone take samples of every fluid her body produced had  
gotten old long ago thanks to Dr. Akagi, and she was in _no_  
mood for it now.  
  
She'd finally gotten them to call Akagi, and was now waiting on  
her to give her a once over so she could get the hell out of the  
building and to somewhere that didn't smell like industrial strength  
bleach.   
  
As she counted the cracks in the ceiling for the thousandth  
time, she suddenly heard the door open, and turned to tell Dr.  
Akagi that it was about damn time.  
  
To her surprise, it wasn't Dr. Akagi.   
  
"Hello, Miss Soryu," the boy from the VTOL greeted her, "I   
trust you're feeling better now?"  
  
"What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded--  
instinctively clutching the covers up to her chest despite the   
modest gown the hospital provided.  
  
"I actually came to retrieve my shirt," he told her as he held up  
a white school shirt that looked a lot like the one Shinji always  
wore, "but I thought I'd stop by to see how you were feeling while  
I was here."  
  
"Riiight..." she said-- eyeing him suspiciously, "and what was   
your, um, _shirt_ doing at a hospital?"  
  
"I suppose you were not conscious enough to notice, but I put  
it on you when I saw that you had lost your own in the water."  
  
Asuka's eye's widened, "you... you saw me n-naked?" her face  
grew red and she was just about to jump out of bed and slap the   
hell out of the little creep when she noticed his face.  
  
Most people recoiled when she got angry with them-- she  
knew just how frightening she could be when she was pissed off.  
She had even grown proud of it. But he didn't seem frightened at  
all, merely confused. She sat back down and stared at him as she  
wondered if he was insane, also, there was something about him  
that unnerved her-- something she couldn't put her finger on  
  
"I do not mean to be rude," he said as she tried to figure out   
what was wrong with him, "but your priorities seem a little strange.  
You were drowning and I didn't noticed your lack of attire until I  
got you back to the shore, at which point I immediately placed my  
own shirt over you... why this upsets you is beyond me."  
  
"Oh," she said as she realized she didn't have an argument for  
that. She paused for a moment and took a good look at him. The  
first thing she noticed was how pale he was, even his hair was  
almost white. He was slender, and his features looked almost  
delicate, but he had a pleasant enough smile. It was his red eyes  
that she decided was setting her on edge; they reminded her of the  
stupid Doll.  
  
'What,' she thought, '_another_ albino? What the hell is wrong   
with these Japanese? Does their gene pool need a filter or what?'   
  
"At any rate I am glad you are recovering. Good luck to you  
Miss Soryu, and good night."  
  
"Hey!" she shouted suddenly, "you never told me who you  
are."  
  
"Of course, you are right, and I apologize for the oversight. My  
name is Kaoru, Kaoru Nagisa," he said as he smiled and walked  
out of the room.  
  
It wasn't until a few minutes later that she realized the entire   
conversation had been in German.   
  
'Too bad I'll never see him again,' she thought as she sat back  
in the bed, 'that was the most interesting thing that's happened in a  
long while.'  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]   
  
  
The next day, as Shinji and Hikari walked to Rei's apartment;   
they passed the time discussing the imminent arrival of the newest  
pilot.   
  
"Well, personally I wish the new pilot was a boy," Hikari told  
Shinji, "I've heard about all the jokes about 'Ikari's little   
harem' that I care to hear thank-you-very-much."  
  
"You say that like it's my fault somehow," Shinji responded  
with a chuckle, "and actually I admit it would be kind of fun to  
have a friend I could talk to about synch tests and stuff."  
  
"I guess," she said playfully, "but I might get lonely if you spent  
time with someone else. Having you all to myself so much has kind  
of spoiled me in the past few days."  
  
"Oh don't worry," Shinji told her as he put an arm around her  
waist, "I wouldn't dream of abandoning you to spend time with  
some stranger. Besides, I can't picture them finding just the right  
spot on my back to scratch like you do and that's way too perfect  
to give up."  
  
"Mmmm," she said as she leaned her head against his shoulder,   
"you really know how to make a girl feel wanted, you know that   
Shinji?"  
  
"If you say so," he told her with a smile, "I'm making most of  
this up as I go along you know."  
  
"I'm aware, and that's what makes it even more special to me."  
  
They continued to flirt with one another the rest of the trip.  
When they finally reached Rei's apartment they paused a moment  
before Hikari shrugged and pushed the door open.  
  
"Rei? It's me and Shinji," she said as they walked in. After  
removing their shoes they walked to the living area and were only  
a little surprised to find that no one was home.  
  
"That's odd... I don't think Ritsuko has any tests scheduled until  
later tonight," Shinji commented as he looked around. Doing that  
brought a sudden realization to him about the same moment, "Hey  
Hikari.... What's wrong with this picture?"  
  
Hikari looked around the room, and it took her a moment to  
realize that the entire room was spotless. The trash and bandages  
that had littered the floor were gone and it looked like the place  
had even been scrubbed.   
  
They'd given Rei the photo album in hopes that it might help her   
remember how close she'd been to them... to hopefully build a  
base of trust in the event they needed her help in digging up dirt  
on Nerv. One of the reasons they'd stopped by was to see if any  
progress had been made... but this? This was unexpected.  
  
"What, so she got tired of living in a pigsty," she said-- with a  
touch of nervousness.   
  
"Yeah, but even before... it was never _this_ clean," he told  
her.  
  
"Maybe we ought to go?" Hikari suggested.  
  
"Right... we'll talk to her after we meet the new pilot tonight."  
  
They left the apartment as fast as they could. Each of them was  
dimly aware that something important was going on, but there was  
simply no way they could have known that the gift they'd given  
Rei'd had an even stranger effect than anyone could have  
anticipated.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
As Kaoru followed the map to the briefing room, he couldn't  
help but admire the layout of central dogma. The place had been  
designed so that unless you were actually familiar with they layout  
it was very easy for a person to get lost. No doubt this had been  
intentional since it was so difficult to defend against a tactical   
force-- given the allotted budgets and staff.  
  
As he rode up the escalator to the next level, he hummed a bit  
of his favorite symphony and went back to reading his map. When  
he finally saw the top come into view out of the corner of his eye  
he lowered the map to find a familiar face standing just beyond the  
end of the line.   
  
He quickly searched his memory and realized that this was the  
First Child, Rei Ayanami. Even though he had seen photos of her  
back in Germany, he realized almost immediately that her  
appearance was not the thing that was familiar about her.  
  
Stepping off the escalator, he walked closer and was about to  
speak when he noticed she'd yet to respond to his presence.   
  
She was standing by a window staring at a set of benches as if  
the eternal secrets of the Dead Sea Scroll's were contained within.  
As he drew even closer he saw that her lips were moving as if she  
were reading from a book... no, more as if she were reciting  
something.   
  
As exciting as it was to know that he was not the only nephilem  
in existence, her behavior had him completely at a loss.  
  
Finally, she seemed to notice his presence and he was  
surprised to see her flinch and look around. It was similar to a  
sleepwalker he'd seen wake once.   
  
"You are Rei Ayanami, are you not?" he asked, deciding to   
place what he'd just seen aside for the moment.   
  
"What?" she asked, seemingly disoriented, "I... yes, who are   
you?"  
  
"I am the Fifth Child," he said as he smiled at her, "we are alike  
you and I... aren't we?"  
  
"I do not understand," Rei said as she took a step back,  
something was frightening her, and Kaoru didn't think it was just  
him.  
  
"The same eyes and skin... and you can not deny that you feel  
the presence of the soul that does not belong within me, as I can  
sense within you."  
  
"No, I-- I must... I have... to go," she said as she turned and  
ran down the hallway.  
  
Kaoru stood there for a while with a puzzled expression on his   
face. He'd assumed that if Ayanami was a fellow nephilim then  
she would have known the things that he did... apparently Kiel had  
not told him all there was to know about his purpose here at Nerv.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Twenty minutes before the introduction meeting, Ritsuko was  
sitting at her desk looking wistfully at several photos that she had  
saved on her computer. She didn't know how much longer she'd  
be able to keep up her appearances with Gendou, the meeting  
with Seele had thrown her into an emotional hurricane-- one that  
she'd yet to totally free herself of.   
  
As she flipped through the files, she took another glance at the  
control pad for the Dummy plug core. It tempted her greatly to  
just reach out and press the switch to destroy the clones. She  
didn't know exactly what Gendou was up to, but Seele had made  
it clear that he was deviating from the plan, and that he considered  
less important to his goals than whatever he had in mind for  
Ayanami.   
  
She wondered what he would do if the current Rei suddenly  
became completely indispensable. What if he couldn't replace her  
anymore? What would his reaction be? Would he have her  
arrested? Kill her? Or was this dilemma exactly what he'd planed  
all along? Did he have that much control over her? Over  
everyone?  
  
Finding out the answer to that was awfully tempting... all it  
would take was the press of a button.  
  
More or less the only things that were currently keeping her  
from doing so were her curiosity at just what Ikari was up to, and  
her concern over the Fifth child. She'd known that Fuyutski and  
Yui's theories had been put to use even as the Katsuragi  
expedition had begun it's efforts... she'd learned it the day she'd  
been elected as the chairperson for Project E. She'd also known  
that Fuyutski had recreated the process with Rei, and she'd always  
assumed that Seele had known as well. Her contact with them was  
very limited, mostly an occasional report of the Eva series  
progress.   
  
It hadn't been until the meeting just after the sixteenth angel that  
she'd realized Seele didn't know the full story behind Rei, and she  
had also realized then that if she wanted to live much longer she'd  
better keep what she knew to herself.   
  
The nephelim project was a vital step in fulfilling the prophecies  
in the Dead Sea scrolls-- in achieving the goals of human  
instrumentality. The very idea that the creation of Ayanami had  
been unauthorized was outrageous. It implied a direct rebellion  
against Seele's timeline... whatever Gendou had planed was  
definitely going to upset the old men.  
  
Whatever his plans they had to be connected to Yui  
somehow... as Rei had grown older the resemblance had  
continued to become more and more obvious. She'd for a long  
time merely assumed that Yui's genetic material had been chosen  
out of availability and sentimentality, but now she had to wonder  
what Gendou and Fuyutski's real reasons had been.  
  
It angered her to know that even with the important position  
she held there were still things that were kept from her. As of late  
it seemed as if every time she turned around a new dirty little  
secret was making itself known to her.  
  
Now she knew how her cats felt when she dangled a piece of  
string in front of them.  
  
Frustrated, confused, but totally unable to stop chasing after it.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"So," Hikari said to Kaoru with a laugh after Ritsuko had left   
them to get aquatinted, "you're a boy."  
  
"Yes-- for a long as I can remember," Kaoru said with a  
bemused smile. He'd long grown accustomed to people not  
knowing this in advice. Apparently his name could be used as  
either masculine or feminine. It tended to only happen when he'd  
dealt with the Japanese staff of Germany's third branch, not often,  
but enough to prepare him for this kind of thing.  
  
"And not a girl," Hikari continued, "cause we thought a girl was  
coming, and there you are in a boy way."  
  
"Just one of those crazy mix-ups Hikari," Shinji said as he and  
the new pilot shook hands, "but welcome to Tokyo three, we  
could show you around sometime if you like... we have a lot of  
free time since they closed the school."  
  
"I would enjoy that very much," Kaoru told him, "but I am   
confused, you refer to the city, yet most of it is now gone."  
  
"Force of habit I suppose," Shinji answered, "but there are a lot  
of buildings that survived in the outskirts and the train station still  
runs to the other nearby towns."  
  
"I shall look forward to it," Kaoru said, as they began walking   
toward the lift, he noticed that Shinji and Hikari were holding  
hands, "forgive me for being forward, but are the two of you a   
couple?"  
  
Hikari and Shinji both blushed slightly and Hikari smiled as she  
let him know his guess was correct, "we've been going out for   
awhile now."  
  
"It is good that you both have someone to share one's heart  
with," Kaoru told her warmly, "I can only imagine how hard this all  
must be on a person... to go through it all alone would be difficult  
to say the least."  
  
"You're not kidding," Hikari agreed, "I think its been worse on  
Asuka than anyone."  
  
"I have heard rumors to that effect," Kaoru said as they entered  
the main lift to the testing facilities, "but with any luck the ordeal  
will soon be over."  
  
As he turned to face the elevator doors, neither of them saw  
the knowing smile on his face.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
After the synch tests were done and over with, Kaoru retired  
to his room in the Geofront. He was exhausted from the ordeal--  
he hadn't expected to have to work that hard to maintain a low  
synch ratio. In fact he was a little concerned that they might have  
suspected something anyway. The chairperson of the E project  
had been staring at him suspiciously during their brief meeting, and  
it was obvious that she was aware _something_ was amiss.  
  
At the moment, however, he required rest. Without opening  
himself to the S2 organ laying dormant within him he did not have  
access to the unlimited energy that it would provide and the moral  
shell he occupied still needed to go into it's nightly coma. It was a  
bit annoying to have so much time lost to him, and he did not have  
the entertainment of dreams to make the lost time more interesting.  
If he envied the Lillian anything it was that they at least had  
something to do as they slept  
  
As he opened his door and walked to the bed he did not-- in  
his exhaustion-- hear the light snoring coming from the bed a few  
feet away. He didn't even bother turning on the light. It wasn't until  
he sat down on the bed and was unbuttoning his shirt when he  
realized something was wrong.   
  
Suddenly something on the bed shifted and there was an  
earsplitting scream that caused him to leap away from the bed and  
cover his ears in shock and pain.  
  
Reaching over, he flipped on the lights and was surprised to  
find Asuka staring back at him with a expression of shock that  
mirrored his own.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"What the _hell_ are you doing here?" she screamed at him as  
her blue eyes flashed in anger.  
  
"This is my home," he said calmly-- as he effortlessly switched  
to German, "why are you in it?"  
  
"Your home? I-- oh crap... they must have gone through the  
official channels," she muttered as she slapped her forehead in  
frustration.  
  
"May I ask what it is you are talking about?" he asked as he sat  
down at the desk at the end of the bed.  
  
"The damn security jerkoffs didn't tell whoever keeps track of  
where people live that I was back here. Damnit!"  
  
"I understand that you used to live here?" Kaoru asked her--  
just as she cut him off.  
  
"Hold on, why are you in the Geofront anyway? Do you work  
for Nerv or something?"  
  
"I am the Fifth Child," he told her, "truth be told, I'm actually--"  
  
"What?" she yelled out-- her eye's widening momentarily  
before she sunk down onto the bed with a miserable expression  
on her face, "they replaced me?"  
  
"I do not know if that is an accurate way of putting it," he said,  
"I did wonder why you were absent from the meeting, I had  
assumed it was because you were still at the medical center."  
  
"Shiest... you should have just let me drown," she said bitterly--  
still ignoring him, "if Id known they were going to replace me with  
a skinny dork like you I would have found a higher cliff."  
  
Kaoru's eyes widened, and he frowned suddenly, "I'm   
sorry, I didn't know that you had jumped on purpose."  
  
Asuka snorted and rolled her eyes, "what, you'd have let me  
drown if you had?"  
  
"I had no right to interfere with a discision you made of your  
own free will, Miss Soryu, I hope you accept my humble  
apology."  
  
"Say _what_?" Asuka said in disbelief. Whoever this guy was  
he was weird, interesting, but weird.  
  
"I am very sorry," he continued and Asuka was amazed that he  
actually sounded as if he meant it, "to tell what a persons motives  
are is a difficult task... would you mind if I asked a favor of you?"  
  
"Uh... I guess so?"  
  
"If you wish to take your life in the future, please tell me  
beforehand and I promise not to intervene. Is this acceptable?"  
  
'Holy shiest, what drug is this guy on?' Asuka wondered in   
amazement. This had to be sarcasm... but he sounded so sincere!  
  
"Um, alright, I'll keep that in mind," she told him as she tried not  
to laugh.  
  
"I must admit, I hope you do not chose to do so, however, If  
the time does come, I will honor your wish... there is one more  
thing though."  
  
"What?" she asked him.  
  
"Would you mind terribly if I used your phone, I need to  
arrange somewhere to spend the night, I am very tired."  
  
Asuka looked at the clock, then back at his earnest face and  
shrugged, "look, I'm going back to sleep, you can crash out in the  
streets or on the floor or on top of the pyramid for all I care."  
  
She turned back to the wall and pulled the covers over her  
head-- she'd had enough weirdness to last her one night. After a  
few moments she fell asleep.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Why are you following me?" Asuka demanded the next  
morning as she and Kaoru walked along towards the train station.  
  
"You said you were going for breakfast," Kaoru said as he  
smiled at her, "I assumed you were inviting me to join you."  
  
Asuka wanted to tell him to piss off, and had come within a  
hairs breath of doing so several times in the past fifteen minutes.  
The problem was that every time she opened her mouth to yell at  
him she'd find herself looking into that earnest, friendly face and for  
some damn reason it would take the wind right out of her sails.  
That, and his smile was downright disarming.  
  
The morning had gotten off to a annoying start when she'd   
stepped out of bed and right on his stomach. After a short- and  
one sided- argument, he'd reminded her that she had told him he  
could sleep on the floor.   
  
A smaller part of the problem was that she still wanted to figure  
out what it was about him that she found interesting. It might be his  
voice, she figured, he spoke very good German with absolutely no  
accent and there was a quality about it that she found.... Soothing  
for lack of a better word.  
  
On the other hand she was seriously getting tired of loosing   
arguments to him.  
  
"Look," she told him as she stopped, "I'm sure you're a very   
nice albino and all, but I just don't feel like having company right   
now."  
  
"As you wish, Pilot Soryu," he said, but before he could say  
anything else Asuka put up a hand.  
  
"Stop calling me that," she said as she shook her head in  
annoyance, "its bad enough you look like her, but if you're gonna  
insist on talking to me you don't have to sound like the stupid doll  
too. My name is Asuka, okay?"  
  
"As you wish, Asuka," he said, and with a quick bow he turned  
and headed off down the path.  
  
'Now why the _hell_ am I blushing?' she wondered as he   
walked away.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
As Asuka tried to figure out what it was about Kaoru Nagisa  
that was completely flustering her, Rei was sitting at a desk in the  
recently closed Junior High school. She sat looking at the empty  
room, while in her mind's eye she could see the faces of former  
classmates as they talked and played before class. If she  
concentrated, she could hear what they were saying.   
  
What she was experiencing--she suspected-- was some type  
of side effect of the Memory transfer procedures which were part  
of the dummy plug programming. While the memories she  
possessed were for the most part disjointed and although there  
were many gaps she had yet to fill, she was discovering that the  
memories she did carry were amazingly vivid and detailed. She'd  
been amazed to also find that if she focused she could actually  
relive the experience to a degree.   
  
It was utterly fascinating to her, because although she knew  
that the memories were in a sense her's, many of them she was  
experiencing for the very first time. She felt as if she were watching  
some movie that played out through her mind's eye. Much of what  
she was seeing was so new that it had come as a shock to learn.  
And there was so much more yet to see! Each of the photos of  
her and the others from the book that Shinji and Hikari had given  
her brought out fresh impressions and memories. Yet... there were  
a series of older pictures near the back that she'd found almost  
frightening.  
  
The photo's showed a woman in her mid to late twenties along  
with some of the Commander and Mr. Fuyutski. The men looked  
at least a decade younger--perhaps more. What fascinated her  
about the woman in the photos was that there was an  
indescribable familiarity about her. Something touched the back of  
her mind each time she looked at the photos and she suspected  
that if she dug deeper into those feelings and impressions she might  
discover something of great importance. Whatever that might be,  
however, it frightened her as much as it excited her.  
  
So for now she was content to try to fit the missing pieces of  
the puzzle that was her past back into place.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"So... you got your own room then," Asuka commented as  
Kaoru packed his few effects into his bag later that afternoon.   
  
"Yes, just next door actually."  
  
"Well at least the walls are thick enough-- I won't have to put  
up with your snoring."  
  
"Asuka, is something the matter?" he asked as he set his bag on  
the desk, "you seem.... Well not to put too fine a point on it, but  
you seem a bit sad that I'm leaving."  
  
"What?" Asuka squeaked--caught off guard by his comment.  
She quickly tried to feign a happier demeanor, "no! I uh... no... I'm   
totally happy about it, ecstatic even!"  
  
"I see," he said and as he smiled, Asuka couldn't stop herself  
from blushing again as she realized how totally unconvincing she'd  
sounded.  
  
"Um... I guess I'll see you around then..." she said quietly.  
  
"I will just be one room down Asuka," Kaoru told her, "but  
anytime you would like to talk, my door is open for you."  
  
"Right..." she whispered.  
  
"I hope to speak with you again soon Asuka, have a nice  
evening."  
  
After Kaoru had stepped outside, Asuka let out the breath  
she'd been holding for the past several seconds. It had taken  
everything she had not to say what she'd wanted to.  
  
'What the hell is wrong with me,' she though, 'I don't need   
anyone! why am I thinking these things?'  
  
She looked back to the door and let out a sigh. She'd been  
about to ask him to stay.   
  
  
[]=====================[]  
To be continued...  
[]=====================[]  
  
  
Author's incoherent babbling  
  
  
Look, I know Kaoru's effect on Asuka is a little weird here,  
but there are two factors you need to keep in mind. First up is the  
fact that Asuka's first encounter with him after the realization that  
she wasn't going to escape her deamons through killing herself (or,  
at least thats the conclusion SHE reached ^_^ ) so-- her first  
impression of the fella has allowed a grain of interest to take hold  
and she's finding it hard to just brush him off. Also as you may  
have noticed people have this tendency to open up to Kaoru. The  
second thing is that I see her _wanting_ to open up and trust him,  
but her experience with Kaji has left her with a mental block. She's  
afraid of being rejected as she was with Kaji. I'll be going into this  
a lot deeper in the last chapter of DWF.  
  
Btw, major props go out to Mr. K Oska Archer for writing   
Daughter of Elysium, which was one of the inspirations for the   
interactions between Kaoru and Asuka. He disserves credit for   
doing it first. Y'all should all go read it now at  
http://www.senet.com.au/~archer It's some interesting stuff that  
uses the director's cuts to maximum effect.  
  
On the spelling of Kaoru's name-- since all evidence points to it   
being spelled either way, I just went with the one that I liked, that's   
all there is to it ^_^ (and lets face it, Kaoru is nothing if not  
ambiguous)  
  
A note to anyone writing Kaoru-- I personally believe the  
character should not be written without a copy of Beethoven's 9th  
playing in the background, but that's just my opinion ^_^ and  
besides, it's worth buying on it's own merit, there is some beautiful  
music to be had in Beethoven's works. Moonlight Sonata  
immediately springs to mind as my personal favorite. Also, I'll   
probably be buying some Wagner when I start working on the   
combat sequences of Carpe Diem, I can't think of a better  
composer for what I have in mind.  
  
Um... about the whole hacker thing... you'll find more out about   
that in the intermission between DWF and Carpe Diem... it's  
mostly going to be covering events that are happening behind the  
scenes. It will cover what Kaji's been up to, and even feature  
Maya, Kensuke and his ladyfriend off the net...   
  
All right, look, she's Mana okay? I think I've made it more  
than obvious at this point ^_^ according to the Webster English to   
Japanese Dictionary, Tetsu means Iron, and Shojo means Maiden.   
Mana fans might be happy to know that she will take on a  
noteworthy role in CD. For the record the inclusion of the hacker  
stuff is the result of a back-to-back viewing of Serial experiments:  
Lain and Eva. No this is not going to turn into a crossover, but the  
whole 'evolution of mankind' theme runs through both and I cant   
seem to untangle it from my mind, so I'm running with it. For   
better or for worse ^_^  
  
About Ritsuko.... Just how much she knows about Rei has   
been a headache for me... she helped wake up Rei 3, and she was   
the creator of the dummy system... but did she know about the AT   
field? Or what about having Lilith's soul bonded to her? I just   
don't know... Gendou and Fuyutski expected Unit One to wake   
up... Ritsuko seemed shocked as hell when it happened. Did She   
know Yui was in Unit One? I don't know. I assume she didn't  
since she kept acting like Fizini from princess bride and shouting   
how impossible it was when Unit one kept reactivating. It seems to   
me like she was just another pawn for Gendou, kept in the dark  
and fed misinformation mixed with enough truth to keep her from  
suspecting what he was really doing.  
  
Or I could be totally wrong-- it's been known to happen ^_^  
  
I'm Out  
  
Hotwire   
Chain Lightning Studios  
http://www.chainlightningstudios.com 


	13. part thirteen

Chain Lightning Studios Presents  
Together We Stand Book Two  
Divided We Fall  
By T. L. Webb  
  
  
  
Night after night, we pretend it's all right  
but I have grown older and  
you have grown colder and  
nothing is very much fun any more  
  
One of my turns  
Pink Floyd, The Wall  
  
  
[]===============================[]  
Book Two, Part Thirteen  
[]===============================[]  
  
  
When Shinji had invited Kaoru to join him and Hikari for a day  
out, he hadn't really considered the fact that over sixty percent of  
Tokyo Three had been pretty much vaporized by Unit Zero's   
detonation. When he'd thought about it later on he had felt a bit   
foolish about that-- it wasn't really that he'd forgotten. With the   
school gone and most of the population cast to the winds, he just   
hadn't thought about it much. Months ago, he would have   
lamented over the destruction and blamed himself for it. But with   
so much happening with Misato, Hikari and Asuka lately, he'd had  
his hands full just keeping up with home life.  
  
This oversight of his had, however, left him with the somewhat   
difficult task of deciding what they were going to do now that   
they'd promised Kaoru they'd show him around.  
  
After a couple of brainstorming sessions with both Hikari and  
Misato, they finally decided that the best thing to do was just to go  
on a picnic somewhere with a nice view-- and immediately Shinji  
knew where that should be.   
  
The night before the outing as he and Hikari worked together   
to get the food ready for the next day's trip, he found himself   
thinking back to the time when he'd run away and first seen the   
spot where they'd be having the outing.  
  
'I was so empty back then,' he thought to himself. He quite   
vividly remembered the night he'd spent sleeping in the theater.   
He also remembered seeing a couple making out and actually   
feeling angry and jealous at what they had together. It had   
upset him so much that he'd had to leave and find a quiet   
corner in the lobby to sleep.  
  
"I wonder," he said aloud-- catching Hikari's attention.  
  
"What do you wonder?" she asked as she put one of the  
finished bentos in the fridge--now totally empty of all alcoholic  
beverages.  
  
"Well... I was just thinking. Do you think that maybe the reason  
Asuka's been so hostile lately may be because of us?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Hikari asked as she sat down at the  
table, "that she's jealous that I got you or something?"  
  
"That might be part of it, but not exactly what I was getting at. I  
meant more like she's jealous of what we have together."  
  
"I don't know," Hikari said with a small frown, "what makes   
you think that?"  
  
"I was just thinking about the past, and it occurred to me that if  
I had her personality then I might have behaved a lot like she did if  
I went through some of the things she has since joining Nerv."  
  
"I seriously doubt that, sweetie," Hikari said as she made a  
face-- apparently thinking back to one of her last confrontations  
with the German girl.  
  
"Well... it's not like I know for sure what she's going through--  
I doubt I ever could, but, I think that... well, maybe she just needs  
someone."  
  
Hikari was quiet for a moment as she thought that over.  
  
"I was about to shrug that off-- I've heard more of her 'stupid  
boys' rants than you have. I think there's a lot more to it, but, you   
might be on to something there. Then again, I tried to hook her up  
with someone once... it didn't go very well."  
  
"No kidding," Shinji nodded, thinking of what had happened   
later that night, "maybe I'm just a hopeless romantic," he said with   
a shrug.  
  
"I told you," Hikari said as she stood and went back to  
preparing the next day's mean, "you may be onto something, but I  
gotta say I don't envy whoever attempts the taming of the shrew."  
  
"That's not very nice Hikari," Shinji said with a frown.  
  
"Silly," Hikari said as she playfully bopped him on the head  
with a spoon, "that's the title to a play, and believe me-- whoever  
wants to deal with her romantically had better read it first."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"This is highly irregular doctor," the first of the monoliths said--  
the computerized voice distortion programming disguising every   
vocal aspect of the individual speaking.  
  
"I'm aware of that," Ritsuko said firmly as she stood in the  
center of a circle of light. All around here a dozen ebony slabs  
stood in a circle. On each of them was a number, and below the  
words Sound Only in English. This was how the council of Seele  
met. Other than the leader and chairman Lorenz Kiel, she knew  
none of their names or faces. For the past several years her  
dealings had either been with him or the Committee that ran the  
human instrumentality project-- and they surely used fabricated  
identities.   
  
The last time she'd been before the actual gathering of Seele  
had been the debriefing on the Sixteenth angel. That had been  
humiliating--although she'd never let on.   
  
"Why have you come before us Doctor? You are obviously  
aware how valuable our time is."  
  
"My request to come before you was due to a possible danger  
regarding the Fifth Child."  
  
"Very well," the first monolith said, "what is this 'emergency'?"  
  
Ritsuko fought not to sigh in annoyance. Apparently sarcasm   
was not an aspect eliminated by the computer.  
  
"The Child has displayed abilities that he should not possess.  
His synch ratio with Unit Two is unnatural. We had decided to test  
how well a pilot might synch with an unconfigured Eva, and during  
those tests his synch ratio was not only higher than any of the other  
pilots, but it seemed as if he were holding back."  
  
"I do not see how this information is enough to warrant a  
gathering, Doctor."  
  
"But to be able to synch with an unconfig--"  
  
"Doctor, you are aware of course that the Fifth is a product of  
the nyphelim project and by his very nature is a natural pilot. What  
you are telling us is nothing we had not anticipated."  
  
"I believe that something is seriously wrong with the Fifth, I  
came here to make you aware that I believe he may be the  
Seventeenth."  
  
"Doctor, if this is in fact true, why has he not attacked?" one of  
the monoliths asked tiredly, "you see a unusually high synch rate,  
which is admitably of interest scientifically to the cause, and you   
begin crying angel like the fabled shepherd boy. For you to reach   
such a preposterous conclusion is, quite frankly, an overreaction."  
  
Ritsuko closed her eyes and counted to ten, "so you will do  
nothing then?"  
  
"Nerv exists to fight the angels Doctor, if this preposterous  
theory of your's actually proves true then I would suggest you do  
your job. Until then I would suggest you do the same."  
  
Before she could say another word her connection was  
terminated.  
  
"It seems that the Doctor is more intuitive than we anticipated."  
  
"It is unimportant in the larger scheme. Fortunately this  
gathering has not been a total waste of our time."  
  
"Yes, her enmity for the Commander has grown. Coming  
directly to us and breaking the chain of command is an interesting  
development."  
  
"Until she reveals information of true importance it is a empty  
gamble. We still do not know what Ikari is planning."  
  
"The time is short, the Fifth will meet with us in two days time  
to report. After that we must begin preparations for the ritual."  
  
The monoliths vanished one by one and the room was silent.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"This is so damn stupid!" Asuka muttered as she paced back  
and forth outside of the closed door. She'd been there for over an  
hour-- walking up to the door, raising her hand to knock and  
backing off at the last moment over and over. Each time she'd get  
a little closer, but somehow she couldn't bring herself to actually  
do it. What made it worse was that every time she tried to pin  
down just what was holding her back, she'd just get angry and  
frustrate herself going round and round with it..   
  
'I never was any good at this introspection crap,' she thought as  
she tapped her foot.  
  
Eventually she worked up the courage to try again. Taking a  
breath and then releasing it, she focused on her target and walked  
up to the door. Over and over again in her mind she recited the  
phrase she'd been taught years before for when she was in combat  
and needed to focus.   
  
'Breath, release, aim, and squeeze. Breathe release aim and  
squeeze. Breath release-- what the hell am I doing?' she thought as  
once again she backed away from the door, 'you're crazy for even  
thinking about this Soryu. Just go home and... And what? Sit  
around brooding for another week? Damnit!'  
  
Just as she turned to knock again, she found herself face to  
face with the person living behind the door in question.   
  
"Shiest!" she whispered as she took a step back.  
  
"Good morning, Asuka," Kaoru said-- seeming nonplused  
at finding her cursing under her breath at his doorstep, "are   
you feeling well today?"  
  
"Um... I'm... okay I guess," she said sheepishly-- embarrassed  
that she'd been caught hovering around his door.  
  
"That is good, I'm glad that you've recovered so quickly from  
your fall. Did you want to speak to me?"  
  
"Huh?" she gasped-- not having any excuses or lies prepared,  
"me? Er, no! I was just... just... um," she sighed and bit her bottom  
lip. If she kept sputtering she'd end up looking like a total idiot  
instead of a slight one. Finally she said in a quiet voice, "If it's not  
an inconvenience."  
  
"You are not inconvenient, Asuka," he told her, and she almost  
believed him, "I'm actually on my way over to the train station, but  
if you do not mind the walk I would enjoy your company."  
  
Asuka's mind began racing with excuses not to go, but as she  
clenched her eyes shut, she drove them all from her mind. When  
she opened them again she found him still standing there  
expectantly.  
  
'T'hell with it,' she told herself.  
  
"Okay."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Its not like I want them dead or anything," Asuka told Kaoru  
as they walked along the path, "I just... well... Look I feel stupid  
talking about this."  
  
"I promise that whatever you tell me will remain between us for   
all time, Asuka," Kaoru told her.  
  
"Still," Asuka said hesitantly, "it's like I want to say stuff but my  
mind keeps screaming to shut the hell up... does that even make  
sense?"  
  
"Some, I think perhaps you are afraid that if I see-- or in this  
case hear-- your true feelings, that my opinion of you will change."  
  
" . . . that may be true."  
  
"I would not worry about that."  
  
"Alright... but it still feels weird," she said with a shrug, "where  
was I?"  
  
"You were talking about the other pilots."  
  
"Right... with Ayanami it's more that she just pisses me off.  
Shinji used to be the same way-- she just sits around all day  
waiting for someone to tell her to jump so that she can go be a  
good little frog. She asks the weirdest questions too. And when  
she says anything otherwise it's usually to tell you what you should  
be doing in your own Eva! Like she was a better pilot or  
something. I mean it's not like she could hold her own on the  
battlefield without a commanding officer. Not once has she _ever_  
taken any kinda initiative."  
  
"Why does that mindset bother you so much?"  
  
"Because it's like she's just some kind of stupid doll!" Asuka  
nearly shouted.  
  
"You said something like that once before... why do you call  
her a doll?"  
  
Asuka started to say something, but she paused just as she  
opened her mouth. She turned away so he couldn't see her face.  
  
"That's... not something I want to talk about Kaoru."  
  
"I won't ask you to say anything you do not wish to."  
  
". . . Thank you."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Since beginning to explore the memories of her previous lives,  
Rei had grown more and more aware that there was an anomaly in  
her mind. A set of memories that could not possibly have been of  
her previous selves. Had her friends Shinji and Hikari not given her  
the album of photo's she might never have isolated the anomaly.  
Now that she knew of it's existence she'd grown more and more   
confused and uncertain about what, if anything, she should do   
about it.   
  
As she walked the long corridors of the Geofront, she  
contemplated whether or not she should attempt to open herself to  
this Other's memories. Simple deduction had told her who this   
Other was. It had not been difficult to surmise that the woman in   
the photo was Shinji's mother. Since she had identified the  
anomaly only after seeing that photo, the Other was easy enough  
to identify. She knew very little about Yui Ikari, which somewhat  
surprised her after considering that the woman's widower had  
raised her from childhood.   
  
Many of the photos had been taken in Terminal Dogma in the  
areas that Gehirn had used as a base of operations before moving  
up to the surface. The depth that was involved had made this  
necessary until a suitable transportation had been completed. She  
knew that all she would have to do to visit the memories of Yui  
Ikari in full would be to go there, and open herself to them.   
  
As curious as she was to find out what had been left in her  
head, and possibly how it had come to pass that it was there, she  
was equally afraid to do it. When she had started her strange inner  
journey, she had only been partially prepared for the intensity that  
was involved. Many of the memories that the photo album had  
returned to her were pleasant ones, but some- such as the battles  
with the Angels and tests with Unit Zero- had been quite painful to  
revisit.  
  
If she did this, if she let these memories come to the foreground  
within her mind... what would happen? So many of her views had  
already been altered from things she'd rediscovered. What if she  
found something in this woman's memories that altered them too  
far?   
  
She had never carried any illusions about the fact that much of  
her continued existence was dependent on her loyalty to Nerv in   
general and Commander Ikari specifically. Should anyone suspect   
that she was even in the slightest becoming disloyal she would   
surely be destroyed and another awakened in her place--   
another without the potentially heretical memories she was so   
fascinated by.   
  
She knew that much of the Commander's life had been  
changed and reshaped by his lost wife... and she knew from long  
exposure to Nerv that the day of her death had been a crux event  
resulting in much of what her destiny would be.  
  
If the commander ever discovered what was happening to  
her... she did not know what would happen. It was something  
that-- she decided-- required much more thought before any  
action could be taken.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"So are you going to tell me what this mystery place is or am I  
going to have to tickle it out of you?" Hikari asked Shinji as they  
waited at the train station for Kaoru to arrive.   
  
"Just trust me," Shinji said as he dodged a poke to his ribs, "I  
promise it's worth being surprised by."  
  
"Okay," Hikari said as she looked down the sidewalk for sign  
of their lunch guest, "I still don't see him... did you tell him eight  
o'clock?"  
  
"Relax Hikari, it's only seven forty, he has plenty of time," he  
reached over and took hold of her hand, "why are you so  
nervous?"  
  
"I dunno," she said as she linked her fingers with his, "I guess its  
just that it seems like everything's falling apart lately. We've lost so  
much. the city was destroyed, most of our friends are gone, and  
even Dad and my sisters are leaving for Osaka once they release  
him from the hospital tomorrow. I just feel like Kaoru is coming   
on to a sinking ship and I want to at least try to be a better friend   
that I was..."  
  
"Than with Asuka," Shinji finished for her as she trailed off.  
  
"Sometimes I feel like I failed her," Hikari said sadly, "and now  
Ritsuko won't tell me where she is. I want to try and make it up to  
her somehow... I just wish I knew where to start."  
  
Shinji started to say something, but as he opened his mouth to  
speak, he suddenly gasped in surprise. Confused at his reaction,  
Hikari followed his gaze out to the sidewalk where to figures were  
walking up the path. One of them was Kaoru, but it was his  
companion who caused Hikari to mimic Shinji's reaction.  
  
"Asuka?" Shinji whispered as he and Hikari made their way to  
the entrance, "what in the world?"  
  
"I don't know," Hikari said-- still stunned, "but one thing's for  
sure."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"I'm not going to dismiss Nozomi when she tells me to be  
careful what I wish for anymore," she told him nervously.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"What the hell are _they_ doing here?" Asuka demanded as  
she saw Shinji and Hikari step out into the sunlight and wave in  
greeting. She stopped where she was and turned to Kaoru with  
anger flashing in her eyes.  
  
"I am going to be joining them for lunch," Kaoru told her  
simply.  
  
"And _why_ didn't you tell me that?" she growled as she eyed  
the two who were still standing by the entrance to the train station.  
  
"The subject never came up," he told her, seemingly oblivious  
to her mood, "I suppose I was enjoying our conversation too  
much to think about it."  
  
"What _ever_," she said as she started to turn and walk away.  
  
"Asuka, would you like to join us?" Kaoru asked suddenly,  
"Shinji said that Hikari always prepares to much food so I doubt  
you would be an inconvenience."  
  
Asuka froze in mid-step. The request had been unexpected,  
and at the same time in the back of her mind she had been praying  
that he would ask. She didn't understand why, and it was driving  
her crazy trying to figure it out. She turned and looked over to  
where he stood-- hands in his pockets and that same gentle smile  
on his face. The same smile that was making her pulse race even  
now.  
  
She looked out to where Shinji and Hikari stood watching  
them both with confusion.  
  
'I wouldn't have to talk to them,' she thought, 'and I doubt  
they'd have much to say to me.'  
  
Finally she nodded to Kaoru, and they both walked the rest of  
the way to where the others were standing.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
As he gripped the support rail that separated him and the  
massive purple and gray face, Gendou Ikari fought the urge to  
scratch his itching palm. Concealed there, beneath the white gloves  
that had for months covered the burn scars he'd received rescuing  
Rei, was a small mass of foreign material.   
  
This small lump of tissue was not his own.   
  
In fact, the genetic makeup of the material was barely human.   
  
It had taken weeks for the inflammation to go down, and even  
longer for the pain to stop, but he and Fuyutski had succeeded in  
implanting the thawed embryo of the First Angel there in his hand.   
  
Now, as he looked at the armored face of Evangelion Unit  
One, he imagined-- not for the first time-- that he could feel the  
twisted mass of fused flesh twitch of it's own violation. That, he  
knew, was merely in his mind, and he pushed it to the back so that  
he could concentrate on why he was there.  
  
"It's been awhile since I came here to speak," he said to Unit  
One's unmoving form, "things have been progressing beyond the  
framework of anyone's timetable. Even the old men are panicking  
at how swiftly everything has happened. The angels are all but  
defeated now. The final messenger has arrived and it is but a  
matter of time before it finally makes it's move."  
  
He paused as he began adjusting his glasses, then stopped.  
Removing them, he looked back at Unit One with a solemn  
expression, "what would you make of all this if you could speak?  
I've wondered this many times... and each time it has become  
harder to stay this course. You always saw the Eva as a tool for  
exploration-- a way for mankind to survive the timeless journey's   
between the stars... then Seele began their steps and all that was   
gone. Then only one goal remained. Our whole purpose changed   
overnight. And again when I lost you..."  
  
He replaced his glasses, "we failed to save you then. But even  
in that defeat I realized that there might be a way. Kiel is to blame   
for what happened. Had he not rushed us we might have been   
more prepared for the activation. So I will take something from   
him. I will take his dream and his obsession from him and use it to   
reclaim what he stole from me. I will save you, Yui. We will be   
together soon. All I ask is that you be patient."  
  
Across the crimson lake of coolant fluid, Unit one gave no  
response. It merely glared out at the Cage in silence. After a  
moment, Gendou turned and left the cavernous room. As the main  
lights shut down all around, a sound could be heard had someone  
remained. The sound of light footsteps. In the dim area of the  
umbilical bridge left illuminated by the safety lights, the figure of a  
young girl emerged.   
  
As Rei looked at the door where Gendou Ikari had just made   
his exit, she frowned.   
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"That is..._very_ strange," Shinji said as he looked back over  
his shoulder at Kaoru and Asuka who were a few yards behind  
them on the path. They'd taken the bus from the train stop, and if  
he remebered correctly, there was just a little more of a walk until  
they reached the destination.  
  
"Cute is the word that imediatly springs to mind," Hikari told  
him as she took his hand, "although I am kinda suprised at it  
myself."  
  
"I think that's the longest I've seen her talk to _any_ guy  
without yelling at them," he noted with a chuckle, "and I speak  
from experiance."  
  
"Actualy, I'm more amazed that she hasnt said anything mean  
to us so far."  
  
Shinji was quiet for a moment as they continued walking up the  
path, finally he turned to Hikari and spoke, "um... can I ask you  
something?"  
  
"Of course!"  
  
"That first fight... what was it about? The one in the locker  
rooms I mean."  
  
It was Hikari's turn to be quiet for a stretch.  
  
  
"I'm sorry," Shinji said with a blush, I didn't mean to pry."  
  
"No," she said quickly, "it's okay... I was just thinking about it,  
and... well its kind of embarising."  
  
"It is?"  
  
"We were talking about something or other-- I forget what--  
and, suddenly, she asks me if I set her up on that date to keep her  
away from you."  
  
"The guy your sister knew?"  
  
"Thats the one," Hikari sighed, "anyway, the thing is that I  
_did_ set up the date because of that... and I was so surprised at  
the question... it kind of ended up slipping out."  
  
"What did she do?"  
  
"Well, she really didn't _do_ anything, she just kind of huffed  
and smirked at me, and made a crack about underestimating the  
compitition. I got... well I got mad and shoved her back and she  
hit a locker. Thats when she blew up on me. She shoved me back,  
I slapped her, then she hit me and stormed out... and thats about  
when you came in."  
  
"I never did understand her."  
  
"I thought I did for a while, but I have this idea that she wanted  
that fight to happen."  
  
"I don't follow you," Shinji frowned.  
  
Hikari shook her head," I'm not sure I do either... its just that it  
seemed like she wass _trying_ to get people to push back like  
that. I'm more than a little surprised that she isnt doing it to him,"  
she said nodding behind them.  
  
"Maybe she's just impressed with his German?" Shinji offered.  
This caused Hikari to giggle.  
  
"Right, that must be it," she joked as she laid her head on his  
shoulder, "I'm going to feel really dumb if I lost her as a friend  
because I took English instead of German last year."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"This is amazing..." Asuka whispered as Shinji and Hikari  
wandered over to the rails for a better look out over the terraces.  
  
"The view is quite remarkable," Kaoru agreed.   
  
"I wonder how long they... oh not this again," Asuka rolled her  
eyes and Kaoru looked over to see Shinji and Hikari sitting beside  
one another sharing a kiss.  
  
"Not what again?" he asked.  
  
"That!" she said, gesturing to the couple, "they can't keep their  
hands off one another! All the time its grope, grope, kiss, grope!  
They'll probably be sneaking off to the bushes any moment, the  
perverts."  
  
"I do not see what is objectable about two people showing  
affection when they are so obviously in love."  
  
"Oh puh-lese!" Asuka said--apparently not realizing how bitter  
she sounded, "love my ass. All it is, is a chemically induced  
physical attraction. Love is for poets."  
  
"You do not believe in love?" Kaoru asked her.  
  
"About as much as I do the Easter bunny and vampires."  
  
"It's very sad you feel so," he said, "I've always felt that if  
there was one outstanding positive aspect the Lillian race had it is  
that they are capable of such deep love for one another. In contrast  
it is a pity that so few seem to display it."  
  
"You lost me at 'outstanding' Kaoru," Asuka said with a frown,  
"you seem smart enough, but as effed up as this planet is, how can  
you believe that crap?"  
  
Kaoru chucked, "I don't believe a more complex subject could  
have come up... but I will try to explain. Remember the old couple  
we passed as we got off the train? More specifically did you see  
their wedding bands?"  
  
"Um.. I think so, about seeing them that is, not the rings."  
  
"Would you say it is safe to assume they have been married for  
many years?"  
  
"Er.. Probably?"  
  
"Do you believe that physical attraction has kept them together  
all this time in an age where a divorce takes nothing more than  
the ability to sign a paper?"  
  
"I... I don't know, and for that matter neither do you."  
  
"True, but I am speaking hypothetically. There is no way I can  
think of to define Love as a word... it is a concept, a way of  
thinking, an emotional state, and so much more. At it's purest it is a  
sight to behold... I have seen such mutual selfless devotion  
between people that I've been brought to tears. It has inspired so  
much of history... I do not deny it has a darker aspect. It is so  
close to obsession that the two can easily be confused."  
  
"How... can you tell the difference?" Auska asked as past  
memories brought a blush to her cheeks.  
  
"Another difficult question... perhaps a good way is to ask  
oneself if the other's happiness is more important to you than   
your own."  
  
"Complicated doesn't even come close to this," Asuka said   
with a frown.  
  
"I warned you," Kaoru said with a chuckle, "love is never easy.  
There are barriers between people's souls, and it is an all too rare  
but wonderful thing when two manage to reach beyond them."  
  
"So what makes you think that_ those_ two are really in love?"  
Asuka demanded suddenly as she looked over to where Shinji  
was pointing at something out to Hikari.  
  
"It is more of a general impression than exact knowledge, but  
to attempt to answer; I've noticed that they genuinely enjoy one  
another's company. When together they do not constantly touch  
and hold one another and the looks they give are not filled with  
lust. Even just a moment ago when you expressed annoyance with  
their kiss it was followed by a long stretch where they just sat  
beside one another and talked without so much as holding hands."  
  
"You... you were watching the whole time?"  
  
"Most of it, I am sitting in a good spot to do so."  
  
  
"Still... I don't know," she said as she shook her head, "I've  
never felt like that before. I can't bring myself to believe  
something like what you're describing could exist when I haven't  
even been _close_ to feeling like that."  
  
"I was unaware you were a subjectivist," Kaoru said with  
amusement.  
  
"I resent that," Asuka said dryly as she cocked an eyebrow,  
"or possibly thank you."  
  
"A little of both would suit," Kaoru said with a chuckle,  
"It is a philosophical belief where a person refuses to accept  
that anything exists other than the self and the acts of the  
self. The extreme of this is that the person believes that he  
is the only thing that truly exists in the universe. Everything  
else that exists only does so because the person is there to  
'think them into existence'. In a way, the only things that  
exist are what he _thinks_ exist. That is the extreme mind you,  
and there are actually some interesting ideas in the philosophy  
even if one does not believe in it."  
  
"Weird... and people really believe that?"  
  
"Did you not just suggest that love didn't exist because  
you didn not think it did?"  
  
"...okay, I'm going to shut up now."  
  
"Do not feel bad, I was merely making a point."  
  
"Alright... so can I ask you something?"  
  
"Go right ahead."  
  
"Why... why are you being so nice to me?"  
  
"Because you seemed as if you needed a friend."  
  
"Oh," she said as she looked away sadly.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
That night, as he settled back into his bed, Kaoru felt a great  
sadness. He knew that his meeting the next morning with the men  
of Seele would probably mark his final few hours as one of the  
lillim. The fifteen years had passed so quickly... yet had been rich  
with experience. The Lillim life span was so short... he'd yet to  
sample a fraction of the literature they'd produced in the few  
hundreds years since their writing had begun to develop. He could  
imagine the library it might take to store it all.... A stretching  
chasm filled with book after book.   
  
Was it his fate to make their history end?   
  
It was possible. He had greater power than the previous  
angels, and the last few had damaged the ranks of the Evangelion  
pilots almost beyond repair. Only Shinji and Hikari stood a threat,  
and Hikari much less of one. Asuka... was still too emotionally  
damaged to pilot her Evangelion. He'd most likely make use of it's  
availability when he made his move. It would be Unit One that  
would be the true threat to his task.  
  
Yet even as he considered his path, he felt sadness for the  
Second Child. Should he fail in his task she would be   
devastated... possibly beyond hope of recovery because of his   
actions.  
  
He decided that there was no point in being cruel to the girl. He  
needed to prepare her somehow for what was soon to be.  
  
Climbing to his feet, he dressed and stepped outside into the  
warm night. He could hear the insects chirping out in the Geofront.  
He walked up to her door and knocked softly, hoping he was not  
waking her.  
  
Her door opened seconds after his knock, and she smiled as  
she saw him. She was wearing a loose fitting shirt that was at least  
large enough for two of her. It came down just below her hips and  
he wondered if she knew how close to indecent it actually was--  
possibly a matter of centimeters.   
  
"I need to speak with you Asuka," he said as she stepped back  
and let him inside. He was about to turn and speak when suddenly  
she grabbed hold of him and they fell onto the bed.  
  
"Asuka?" he asked in shock as he felt her lips against his neck.  
Suddenly, he understood, and a wave of grief washed over him.  
This was possibly the worst thing that could have happened to her.  
  
"Asuka, wait, please!" he said firmly as he pushed her back as   
gently as he could. Looking up he saw her eyes and his sadness  
compounded. There was lust there--obviously, but he saw beyond  
that to the poorly hidden desperation that was behind it.  
  
"Why?" she demanded as she finally pushed him back and  
began to cry," why don't you want me? Why doesn't anyone want  
me?"  
  
"That is not true," he insisted as he reached out to try and take  
her hand.  
  
"Bullshit!" she screamed at him, "Kaji would never even kiss  
me! Shinji always pulled back like a frightened mouse every time I  
tried to get close to him, and just when he _finaly_ started to come  
around he chose that... that..." the tears began to flow freely, "he  
chose Hikari over me, Kaji chose Misato... mama chose that God  
damn stupid doll over me... who did you chose, Kaoru? Who beat  
me this time? Was it Rei? Go ahead then, take her! I don't give a  
damn anymore!"  
  
"Asuka," he said as he took hold of her hand. She struggled  
and tried to pull free, but he held firm, "I did not chose Rei. I did   
not choose anyone."  
  
Finally she looked at him, her eyes now desperate and  
pleading, "then what? What's wrong with me? Why don't you want  
me? What do I have to do to make you want me?"  
  
"Asuka, please don't believe that this is because I do not have  
any feelings for you. If it were possible for me to do so, I would  
stay with you as long as you would have me... but I fear it just is  
not to be," he sighed and shook his head, "this is so much more  
complicated than I intended it to become... Asuka, please believe  
me when I say that I love you."  
  
Asuka's eyes widened at those words, and for several seconds  
her mouth moved wordlessly. When she finally found her voice it  
was several more seconds before she could gather her thoughts  
enough say something.  
  
"But... if you... why wont you... you know..."  
  
"Asuka, there have been more lives ruined by confusing lust  
with love than there are stars in the evening sky. Please understand  
that I can not, and will not share your bed tonight. This is,  
however, not because of a lack of desire. You are one of the most  
beautiful people I have ever known, Asuka, and the potential I see  
within you to become even more so is beyond description. I wish  
circumstances were different... but there are forces at work that  
are now beyond my control."  
  
"Kaoru... I don't understand."  
  
"That is all I can say for the moment... if you wish to know the  
whole truth, be at the observation room of the cage at noon  
tomorrow. It will not be pleasant for you to learn, but at least then  
you would understand why this must be so."  
  
"I..." she looked at him and now her eyes showed confusion.  
He did not know if this was the best way, but at least now she had  
a chance to make it... however slim.  
  
As he left her room he heard her beginning to cry again, and it  
was very, very hard to keep walking.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
It was only moments before dawn as Kaoru stepped up onto   
the back of the statue. He looked out across the waters and at   
the soft pink sky that was beginning to glow with the coming day   
and he wished he could take the time to enjoy it. Unfortunately he   
had a schedule to keep, so his final sunrise would no doubt be   
tainted by the unpleasant meeting that would take place in a  
mater of seconds.   
  
Before he'd left the third branch in Germany he'd undergone a  
surgical procedure that had placed a small electronic device just  
inside his eye. It was an experimental device-- a prototype of  
nanotecnology actually-- that was designed to use the salts in his  
body as a medium of transmission for an electronic conference.  
  
The power in this device was highly finite, it would not last  
beyond the meeting, but it was sufficient for its' purpose seeing as  
how he would never have an opportunity to use it after this day,  
regardless.  
  
He closed his eyes as the time arrived, and when he opened  
them, twelve ebony monoliths surrounded him in midair.   
  
The meeting had begun.  
  
He looked around and smiled at them, it was typical that they  
had spent so much effort to implant the device, yet had now  
insisted on masking their identities. These men were such a  
contradiction of high intelligence and cunning-- and immature  
stupidity.   
  
Amazing that they had gained so much power in this world.   
  
"You have successfully infiltrated Nerv," the first told him,  
"even those who do suspect the truth will not act until it is too late."  
  
Kaoru listened to them speak, and to their concerns and fears.  
He listened as they told him they suspected that Gendou had been  
experimenting with the stolen genetic sample of Adam, and how  
dangerously close to treason it was. They waxed poetically of how  
he would 'purge Nerv of the corruption', and thus fulfil his destiny.  
They spoke of it as if they truly cared, and the empty promises  
soon grew from lightly amusing to annoying. If these men craved  
the eternal dark so fiercely, they seemed to have an odd way of  
showing it.  
  
"Enough," he said finally.  
  
"What?" Kiel demanded, obviously shaken by the insolence of  
the interruption.  
  
"Why do you insist on perpetuating this delusion that you  
control my destiny?" Kaoru asked suddenly as he smiled. This  
meeting might be amusing after all.  
  
"How dare you speak to your creators as such!" one of the  
monoliths said, his voice distortor barely disguising his indignant  
rage at Kaoru's tone.  
  
"My time in this form grows short," Kaoru replied, "and I am  
weary of this charade. You have somehow gotten it into your  
minds that because you created me to fulfil your designs that you  
have some right and say in my actions. This is falsehood. Has it not  
occurred to you that by fulfilling even a few of the prophecies in  
your Dead Sea scrolls, you have thereby placed yourselves under   
fate's heel? How arrogant you are to believe otherwise."  
  
"And yet," he added, "this is still my destiny, and I will fulfil   
it. I think you strange to want me to do so. The disaster resulting  
the first time you meddled in these maters seems to have taught  
you nothing."  
  
With that Kaoru terminated the connection. He could almost  
see why this Gendou Ikari wanted to rebel; the manipulators  
behind those blank monoliths were some of the most unpleasant  
and bitter men he'd ever dealt with. It would almost be a pleasure  
to give them the oblivion they seemed to crave.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
It was well past the eleventh hour and he could put it off no  
longer. The time was finally at hand. His very being cried out to  
him that he must act soon. It was a compulsion that had grown in  
strength over the past several hours, and as noon drew closer and  
closer, he had to fight it back in order to keep his promise.  
  
Kaoru could feel the power welling up within him, and knew  
that if he did not act soon he would be forced into a misstep. As  
he entered the Cage where Evangelion Unit Two was contained,  
he felt a surge of relief. Up above he saw a glint of red that was  
Asuka's hair behind the window of the observation room.   
  
As he walked across the umbilical bridge to it's center, she  
turned and pressed her hands to the glass. He wished there were  
some other way, but he was bound by both fate and biology.   
  
She reached over to a counsel nearby and pressed a switch,  
activating the communications network.   
  
"I'm here," she told him simply. He could barely make out her  
face, but even at such a distance he could tell that she foregone  
sleep and had been crying. He was not surprised at that.   
  
"Last night," he said to her, "I told you that I would reveal to  
you the reason why we could not be together."  
  
She did not reply, and he could not delay his becoming any  
longer.   
  
"I am eternally sorry, for what I must now do," he said as he  
stepped off the platform over the red coolant below.  
  
"Kaoru!" she screamed as he began to fall down to the liquid.  
Yet, the instant before he struck, a shimmering wave of force  
washed out from him, and suddenly he was hovering in mid air.  
His body began to glow dimly as unbelievable power coursed  
through him. His S2 organ had awakened and he was-- from that  
moment-- no longer Kaoru Nagisa.   
  
He was Tabris, the Seventeenth Angel.  
  
The final messenger  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
When the alarms went off, Shinji and Hikari had been just  
entering the Geofront with Misato. As lights began to pulse red  
all around them and the sound reached almost unbearable levels,   
Misato's eyes widened in shock. They broke into a dead run,   
and she whipped out her cell phone.   
  
"It's me, what the hell is going on down there?" she demanded  
from Makoto.  
  
"We're not sure, we just got a blue pattern from inside the  
Geofront!" he responded, and she could hear him franticly typing  
as he tried to analyze the data.   
  
"Inside?" she gasped in shock. If it was anything like what  
they'd fought with the eleventh then there was barely any time, and  
she was still ten minutes from the lift to the command center.  
  
"Kids," she said as she turned to face them, "get to the Cage  
right away, I'll brief you as we activate, it's another Angel, and it's  
inside headquarters."  
  
To her pride, they nodded and took off running to their  
destination with little more than a paling of the face.   
Unfortunately, she didn't have time to be proud, and Misato was   
back on the phone almost immediately gathering information.   
  
"Ok, I want all access shafts sealed right away, have the Magi  
clear our paths and put everything else on finding out just where  
the damn thing is."  
  
"We just got a fix," Makoto told her as she slipped between  
two closing blast doors "it's in the... it... oh my God."  
  
"Talk to me Hyuuga, what's going on?"  
  
"We just got a visual... the Angel... its the Fifth Child!"  
  
"What?" Misato shouted as she tried not to drop the phone.  
  
"The Magi are unanimous... what the hell? Hold on,  
something's happening to Unit Two!"  
  
"Damnit," Misato cursed aloud to the far too slow elevator,  
"hurry the hell up!"  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
After grabbing their Plugsuits, Shinji and Hikari had jumped a  
ride with a technician on a motorized cart. As they struggled to  
change and keep their hold on the cab at the same time, neither  
seemed to notice the other's nudity. The situation was far to dire  
for such things to matter at that moment. Once suited up, they   
took their place behind the driver and watched the hatches   
open as they neared them.   
  
When they reached the cage, the driver immediately hit the  
breaks and all three of them watched in horror as Unit Two ripped  
the restraint system to shreds. It began to climb out of the mass of  
twisted metal and waded across the coolant to the far wall that  
had only recently been partially repaired from Shinji's battle with  
the fourteenth angel. As it plunged its massive fists through the  
flimsy constructs in it's way, Shinji thought he saw a flash of light  
just in front of the Eva.  
  
"What is it?" Hikari asked aloud as their driver leapt from his  
seat and began to run back down the corridor from whence they'd  
come.  
  
"Hey!" Shinji shouted as a blast door closed behind them--  
actually trapping the man in-between the chambers. Shinji turned  
back to where the Eva was climbing into the freshly made opening  
and jumped over the roll bar to the drivers seat, "Hang on," he told  
Hikari as he slammed the gas pedal down to the floorboard.  
  
Proving that Misato had indeed been the one who taught Shinji  
how to drive, they screeched down the small path built into the  
wall of the cage. Just as they reached Unit three, Shinji reached  
out and grabbed Hikari by the arm before she started to jump off  
to board her Eva.  
  
Their eyes locked, and hundreds of things passed between  
them in that moment. Shinji leaned in and their lips met briefly, as a  
kiss for luck and love was shared before each of them began  
racing to their Eva's.  
  
Neither voiced their mutual fear-- that it would be the last  
that they would share.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
As Evangelions Three and One roared to life and began their  
pursuit of the Seventeenth Angel, no one noticed that in the  
observation room a small figure was huddled in a corner. Asuka  
was curled up as tightly as she had been able to manage, and as  
the shrieks of twisting metal echoed throughout the Geofront, she  
trembled and repeated one phrase over and over.  
  
"Angel... no please not an Angel...not an Angel. Not an  
Angel... no..."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"I see them!" Hikari shouted as her Eva lowered down the  
seemingly endless cable to the depths of the Geofront. She'd been  
this deep, and deeper once before, but it still jarred her just how  
far down Terminal Dogma actually was.  
  
Just coming into view in the dark smoke filled chasm was Eva  
Unit Two. She could see it's arms working as it clawed and tore  
away plate after plate of protective armor from the blast door  
below.   
  
At fist they hadn't been able to understand how they were  
getting past the protective armored layers. Finally, just as she and  
Shinji had started their decent, it had been determined that the  
Angel was manipulating the electronics somehow to open them.  
Immediately Misato had ordered all the fuses for the gates fried,  
and now they had a chance to catch up.  
  
Just above her, She saw Shinji let go of the cable and Unit one  
dropped like a comet down onto the back of the rogue  
Evangelion. While he struggled to hold onto the bucking giant,  
Hikari caught another flash of light at its side, and as her monitor  
zoomed in, she was shocked to find Kaoru floating in mid air.  
  
She'd been briefed that Kaoru was the Angel, but she hadn't  
expected this. She'd thought that he'd bonded with Unit Two, or  
was piloting it. The last thing she'd suspected had been for him to  
be standing on thin air with his hands in his pockets smiling back at  
her.  
  
She saw his lips move, and she activated the external pickups.  
  
"The two of you are much later than I had expected," he said  
calmly, as if they were back at the picnic instead of locked in  
battle. As if he hadn't played them all for fools. As if he hadn't  
pretended to befriend Asuka.  
  
In response, she engaged her progressive knife and let go of   
the cable.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Shinji was trying to get Unit Two in a grappling hold that Touji  
had shown him once, when Hikari screamed and launched herself  
at the angel.  
  
Suddenly, he realized that what she was about to do wouldn't  
work. What clued him in was that there was an odd glow-- no  
more of a distortion around Kaoru, almost as if he were looking at  
him through a heat wave. He'd noticed it before he'd begun   
grappling with Unit Two, but it wasn't until a split second before   
Hikari's attack when it all came together in his head, and by the   
time he'd tried to warn her, the progressive knife was rebounding   
off a geometric distortion in the space between it and the smiling   
boy.  
  
"He's got an AT field!" Shinji shouted a second too late.  
  
"Yes," he heard Kaoru reply, and realized that his external  
audio system was engaged, "at least that is what you Lillim have  
chosen to call this thing."  
  
As he spoke, Hikari's impact on the blast door caused it to  
give way, and the three Eva's tumbled down hundreds of feet and  
slammed into the next set.   
  
"The Absolute Terror Field," Kaoru recited as he drifted down  
towards where Shinji and Hikari were both trying to restrain the  
struggling Unit Two, "you Lillim have such a mastery of irony, and  
yet you seem so oblivious to it at the same time. This is the light of  
my very soul! A sacred territory that no one may enter save by my  
invitation. And you," he said as his smile broadened, "are not  
invited."  
  
Suddenly a powerful shockwave caused the level to give way  
and they were again falling deeper into the Geofront.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
We've lost all radio contact!" Makoto shouted in horror, "this is  
the strongest AT Field we've ever detected!"  
  
"It's blocking everything," Shiguru concurred, we've even lost  
ground feed from all the cameras!"  
  
"Damnit!" Misato shouted as they scrambled to do what   
they could, "wait... what's Hikari's power looking like?"  
  
"We don't know, once that field went up we lost everything! If  
this cuts both ways though she has less than four minutes..."  
  
Misato looked at the screens which showed nothing but static.  
It was all up to them now. She couldn't do anything more. She  
leaned in close to Makoto and muttered under her breath to be  
prepared for the worst.  
  
"I know," he whispered back, "if anything happens I have the  
destruct commands all set. This bastard won't win-- no mater   
what."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Again they fell, but this time there was no barrier to catch them.  
As Hikari looked towards the ground she saw an expanse of white  
and just before they struck she saw that they were in an amazingly  
huge cavern. Then they hit, and the bone jarring impact drove  
the three Evangelions into the chalky powder that spread across  
the cavity Hikari nearly lost consciousness. One of the functions of   
LCL was to provid cushioning from impacts, but it had it's limits.   
  
Even as they hit, Unit Two was already stirring, and it took  
everything she had to focus long enough to drive her knife into  
it's leg and not pass out in the process. Above them she could  
see the glowing speck that was Kaoru through the cloud of dust.  
  
"Shinji," she cried as she brought her elbow down on the  
knife's hilt-- driving it deeper through the armor plate on the Eva's  
leg, "go! I'll hold Two off! It's not using it's AT Field!"  
  
Seeing Unit one nod at the same time as Shinji did on her  
screen was enough to distract her for a split second, and Unit Two  
used that moment to it's advantage. It kicked out and sent her  
flying out across the expanse of white.  
  
As Shinji chased after Kaoru, she climbed to her feet and  
turned back to face Unit Two.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Kaoru! Wait!" was all that Tabris heard as it slammed  
Heaven's Door behind him. It was a shame that the two Eva's had  
not put up more of a fight. This duty before him was not one that  
he enjoyed.   
  
He floated across the small ocean of LCL, and below him he  
saw a tiny craft manned by a single Lillim. The foolish creature  
was climbing up to where a large rifle was mounted at the bow of  
the craft. Tabris almost sighed as the Lillim opened fire and the  
large bulled ricochet off the AT Field. It flew back to its previous  
owner, and the poor creature was torn in half by the impact.  
Behind him he heard the repeated smashing of Unit One against  
the door, and he placed a fraction of his concentration on  
reinforcing it for the moment.  
  
Shaking his head, he looked up to where the first of his  
brethren was imprisoned. It was a painful sight to behold indeed.  
Spikes each as large as small aircraft pierced his hands, and a  
mask with seven eyes covered his face. Tabris recognized the  
symbol, it was the mark of Seele, and he was angered slightly that  
their fate's would be no worse than anyone else on this orb.  
  
"Must one who was born from Adam... return?" he mused as  
he drifted closer, "even though it means the end of all that this  
planet has accomplished in such a short time?"  
  
All it would take now was to touch him.  
  
And suddenly, Tabris sensed something was amiss.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
'How can it fight like this with no pilot?' Hikari thought as Unit  
two broke off a shard of what seemed to be a stalagmite and  
hurled it at her. She slammed her fist into it and shattered it to  
pieces, but as she did so left herself open, as apparently intended.  
Unit Two crashed into her, sending them both falling back into the  
crater that marked their arrival in this weird place.   
  
As they hit the base of the crater, Hikari managed to get to her  
feet first and pounce. She grabbed hold of Unit two's Shoulder  
wing and as she sailed over it, she pulled-- sending Unit Two  
flipping head over heals and onto it's back.   
  
Suddenly, the sound pickups registered a shrieking noise, and  
Hikari looked down to find her progressive knife still imbedded in  
Unit Two's leg. Knowing that she wouldn't get another shot at this,  
she grabbed it, yanked it free, and with a whisper of apology to  
Asuka, drove it into Unit Two's face.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"How could I have missed it?" Tabris wondered aloud as he  
backed away from the angel that was crucified on the mammoth  
cross, "it is so obvious now, so clear! The Lillim, Lilith... the  
ascension! The lillim want to initiate it!"  
  
He didn't know how he'd missed it before; he was dead  
center of the Black Moon-- the egg of the Second Angel! Seele  
had done well to hide this from him, to misinform him and fool him.  
Had he taken one second less to ponder what he had been about  
to do... he shuddered to think it.  
  
Yet even so, Seele may have been too clever for their own  
good. He could still foul their plans; all it would take would be a  
moment of pain, then nothing... yet the consequences would  
potentially be dire for those who survived.  
  
As the possibilities before him flashed through his mind, he  
suddenly felt a powerful presence above. Before he could turn  
to look, however, the wall beside him caved in and Shinji Ikari   
charged towards him his Evangelion.  
  
A massive purple hand closed around him, and he lowered his  
defenses just enough for what he realized was the only way to set  
things on their proper path.   
  
"Wait," he said simply as the gloved hand tightened around his  
body.   
  
"Give me one good reason," a furious voice responded from a  
speaker somewhere in Unit One's armor. Tabris felt the crushing  
pressure increase and realized that he may have misjudged this  
one's anger.  
  
"Asuka," he said as best he could. Immediately the fist stopped   
clenching shut.  
  
"What _about_ Asuka?" Shinji shouted at him as he stepped  
back away from Lilith.   
  
"I must speak to her," Tabris said, "if I lower the AT Field, will  
you allow me enough time to say what I must?"  
  
There was a split second where Tabris wondered if Shinji  
might just destroy him then and there. He could have done it--  
having power equal to any angel Tabris had ever seen, Unit One  
was easily capable of destroying him at this point. He had the right  
to do it; Kaoru had betrayed them in many ways.  
  
That second passed and Shinji's voice returned.  
  
"Lower it."  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"We... what the hell? We just got all our feeds back!" Yuri  
shouted excitedly, "The AT Field is gone!"  
  
"What about that second AT Field?" Misato asked as she  
looked over the readouts, "and why is this display still active?"  
  
"The target... I don't understand! It's still alive?" Makoto   
said in disbelief.  
  
Suddenly Shinji's voice came back over the communication net  
in a burst of static, "if you can hear me I need a two way audio  
connection to the secondary observation room ASAP!"  
  
"Shinji?" Misato asked, "what are you talking about?"  
  
"No time, Misato, I need that connection as fast as you can get  
it!"  
  
"It looks like.... He has the Angel!" Aoba informed her, "But  
why hasn't he killed it?"  
  
"Misato, _please_!" Shinji shouted, and Misato looked up to  
Commander Ikari. It was only a fraction of an inch, but he nodded  
and she ordered the link patched through.  
  
'What the hell are you doing, Shinji?' she wondered as the  
camera's showed Asuka still sitting in a corner.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
"Asuka," the familiar voice said-- startling her back from   
the dark place in her mind.  
  
"K-kao-Kaoru?" she whispered as she looked around the  
room. It only took a moment to realize that the voice was coming  
from the console.  
  
"My name is Tabris, and I am sorry for what I have done to  
you. I do not have much time, but I need you to listen to what I am  
about to say. Can you do that?"  
  
"Kaoru?" she cried as she stood and grabbed the edge of the  
console, "I don't understand, how can you be one of them? How?"  
  
"Asuka, please, I don't have time to explain it all to you. Listen  
to me; what I have done was ordained the moment of my creation.  
I knew that this day would either bring my own death, or that of  
your entire race. This I could not change, but I knew that every  
moment up till then I could live as one of you. I have seen you  
Lillim at your best and your worst, and Asuka, you have a choice  
before you. You can let these few hours rule your future, or you  
can chose to seize the day and rise beyond the injustice that I have  
done to you by allowing myself to become your friend."  
  
While he spoke, her tears began to flow freely, and she  
dropped to her knees in grief.   
  
"I did not lie when I said that I love you, that is why I must now  
leave this world. Only one or the other may survive this, myself or  
your race, and yours is not the existence that should parish.  
Goodbye Asuka."  
  
With that, the connection ceased, and the room was silent,  
except for her crying.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
In Central dogma, the bridge crew of Nerv had listened in  
confusion, awe and shock at what the angel had said.   
  
Up above the others, Gendou Ikari watched the monitors  
where Unit One held the angel in its grasp. His own hand hovered  
over a device that he'd had prepared as a safeguard against any  
further rebellion by his son. When activated, it would send an  
electric shock through his plug suit and render him unconscious. It  
would also cause his body to spasm, and hopefully clench the  
hand of Unit One enough to destroy the angel.   
  
If Shinji did not act soon, he would.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Shinji sat in the entry plug of Unit One and looked down at the  
small figure in the hand of the beast... no, in his own hand. This  
was an Angel... but it was not hiding behind an Eva that some  
poor kid was piloting. It was not defending itself at all. In fact it  
was insisting that he destroy it. And yet, he struggled with what  
was being asked of him.   
  
He'd listened to what Kaoru had told Asuka, and he'd been  
touched by his gentle pleading to her. This Angel had reached  
Asuka on a level that none of them had been able to. For a short  
time, he had actually seen her start to climb from the abyss that she  
seemed to have fallen into. This angel... this person, was  
responsible for it. Who was he to destroy someone like that?  
  
Yet Kaoru had also said that should he live, mankind would be  
wiped away from the earth... something that he couldn't allow.   
  
Suddenly he began to understand something that horrified him.  
  
This must be how his father felt every time he sent them out to  
battle. He looked down at the angel again, and Kaoru smiled at  
something off to the side. Then, it turned back to him and it  
seemed as if their eyes met for a moment.  
  
The angel continued to smile up at him-- accepting his fate.  
  
There was a movement off to the side as Unit Three stepped  
into the hole in the chamber wall.  
  
"Forgive me, Asuka," he whispered.  
  
The body of Kaoru Nagisa, Tabris, the seventeenth angel, was  
crushed with a twitch of Unit One's hand.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
As Shinji climbed out of the entry plug, he felt hollow.   
  
In all the battles he'd faced... he'd never been forced to kill   
like that. The closest he'd come had been the Thirteenth, but even   
then he'd refused to commit murder. Somehow he couldn't  
convince himself that that body laying in the LCL down in Terminal  
Dogma had just been an Angel, just an enemy.  
  
He'd spoken with Kaoru... the boy had seemed more human   
than some 'real' people he'd met in his life. It wasn't just eating at   
him, it gnawed at his very soul. What right had he to have done  
that?  
  
As he stepped off the steps and walked down the umbilical  
bridge, he saw someone standing just at the other side across from  
him.  
  
He looked up to find Asuka walking silently across the  
umbilical bridge, oblivious to the fact that the coolant level was   
still low and there was almost a thirty-foot drop. He watched her  
as she approached and he saw that her eyes were as dead as his  
own must be. And why wouldn't they be? She'd just lost one of  
the few people that he'd ever seen declare even a friendship  
towards her-- much less love.   
  
He walked out a small distance over the bridge, between the  
shoulder and head of his Eva. As she reached him he stood his  
ground, whatever she felt he had coming he wouldn't back away  
from-- he owed her that... at least.  
  
"He loved me," she whispered, "he loved me, and you killed  
him."  
  
Shinji closed his eyes and lowered his head in shame. Had he  
not done that, he might have seen the punch coming.  
  
  
[]====[]  
[]====[]  
  
  
Asuka drew back and hit him with everything she had. She hit  
him harder than she ever had before, and as one of her fingers  
snapped from the impact, Shinji was sent flying back and off of the  
bridge.   
  
It didn't seem real to her somehow. Even the pain strobing  
from her broken finger was a ghost of what it should have been.  
Everything seemed to happen in half speed. Every little detail  
stood out and at the same time was muddled.  
  
Shinji seemed to hang in midair as he drifted back. Then he hit  
the rail and his body began to flip backwards. He tumbled head  
over heels down for ten feet and struck the collar of Unit One, the  
impact shattered several ribs and knocked him unconscious as he  
rebounded and slid down another fifteen feet to the coolant fluid  
below. He landed without much of a splash and floated for a  
moment before finally beginning to sink into the crimson liquid.  
  
Just as his head disappeared below the surface, Asuka began  
to realize what she had just done, but even that shock was like a  
phantom to her.  
  
Behind her she heard someone scream his name.   
  
Looking down she could see him just below the surface,  
sinking slowly as a trail of bubbles marked his path.   
  
She was suddenly pushed aside as a blur of red and black shot  
past her and over the edge.   
  
As someone else grabbed hold of her she began to struggle.   
  
She heard Hikari's voice screaming.   
  
A needle pierced her arm and her eyelids suddenly grew  
impossibly heavy.   
  
The last thing she remembered was Misato breaking the  
surface with Shinji in her arms. Specifically she remembered seeing  
the blood running down his face.  
  
So much blood...  
  
Then there was blackness.  
  
  
[]======================[]  
End of Book Two  
[]======================[]  
  
  
IMPORTANT NOTICE!!!!!!  
  
due to several reasons, I will no longer be posting my works  
on Fanfiction.net. the formonst of these, is that I have my   
own page and really dont see a reason to continue posting  
to a forum where my works are buried benieth literaly thousands  
of other fis. the intermission and conclusion of Together We Stand  
can be fond on my own webpage, along with all my other stories   
and random goofyness. I'd like to thank everyone who's taken the  
time to post reviews. the web address is www.chainlightningstudios.com  
I'll keep a light on for ya ^_^ Love and Peace  
Hotwire  
  
Authors incoherent babbling  
  
  
Holy crap... am I really done with DWF? it's amazing to me  
that I got this far ^_^. I knew when I started doing the outline for  
this that it was going to be long... and sure enough I started this  
tale way back in June 2000(I think) and here it is, just over a year  
later... the chapters average about 20 pages and this makes 21 of  
them... that's well over 420 pages, and I still have five chapters left  
to write with no idea as to how long they will be. (And just think,  
it's only as long as one chapter of Variations on a theme ^_^)  
don't worry though, as long as my secret stash of Mountain Dew  
and Spree hold out I should have enough manic energy to  
complete the rest of this post haste. (Now you know what keeps  
stories coming out of Chain Lightning Studios so fast, a  
combination of straight sugar and caffeine ^_^)  
  
To continue my little project of trying to explain a few of the  
little weird discrepancies in Eva here's my theory on the Seele  
meeting that Kaoru had in the directors cut. I thought and thought  
about it, and after a while I realized that since no alarms went off,  
he must have kept his angel superpowers out of it. Granted--  
Tokyo Three was in ruins and the observation center might have  
gone down with it, but one would think that they could pick up  
that kind of power-- unless it wasn't any kind of manifestation, but  
instead was the equivalent of a satellite phone call. I recall reading  
somewhere that the gizmo that they used in Metal Gear Solid  
(codex?) Was a feasible device, so think of this as one of those.  
  
Also, in Gendou's little talk with Yui... well, I couldn't think of a  
more logical reason! That little scene in EoE with Fuyutski has a  
lot of people freaked out, and I got to thinking about it recently.  
That last scene with Unit one floating off into space... could that  
have been the original idea behind what happened to Yui? I mean,  
what if what happened to her wasn't a total accident per-say, but  
something that happened before they were ready to deal with it?  
Something that they'd always intended, but had happened too  
soon? It's just a theory, and it's something I'll deal with in more  
depth in a later fanfic. I mean, if you think about it, it's possible that  
the entry plug system was originally designed as kind of a stasis  
tube-- like in Alien and other sci-fi shows. If a person could be  
disassembled at a molecular level-- and re-assembled from LCL  
then they could easily survive the long treks into space. Its just  
something I thought was interesting and tossed in.   
  
Just as a side note-- if you have it, I HIGHLY recommend  
playing Kom Susser Tod starting from when the POV switches   
from Gendou to Shinji in the last battle and on till the end of the   
story-- trust me, it fits. =^_^= if I've timed it right, you should  
reach the bridge scene just as the singing starts, and the punch just  
as the courus begins. Milage may vary as per reading speed.  
  
Special thanks goes out to Ender for assistince in this final  
draft. May he do well in battle school, and avoid Bonzo. ^_^  
  
Well, that's the last part of Divided We Fall. The third and final  
Book of Together We Stand is going to be called;  
  
[]================[]  
Carpe Diem  
[]================[]  
  
(For those who are wondering-- it's Latin for "Seize the day")  
  
I warn those of y'all who are squeamish now that I'm going to  
take this totally over the top in the action scenes from here out.  
Since I'll be taking a break from Evafics after this is all over I want  
to do some stuff that I wont have a chance to do otherwise with  
the weapons and other various aspects of Eva combat. All the plot  
threads I've tried to weave throughout this story will be tied up.  
Expect some characters to fail, others to triumph.  
  
Either way, the beginning has ended.  
  
Prepare for the end to begin.  
  
(^_^ I've always wanted to say that ^_^)  
  
  
Hotwire  
Chain Lightning Studios  
http://www.chainlightningstudios.com 


End file.
